Thailand. While this photo is not Motty, it is of a very happy baby elephant crunching on sugar cane at The Four Seasons Resort. I am about a foot away from her with more sugar cane in my hand. Very fun!
So who is Motty? Motty was the only known hybrid born from a African and Asian elephant mating. He was born in 1978 at The Chester Zoo in England and sadly died after 12 days from an umbilical infection despite intensive human intervention. Having characteristics of both parents he looks very cute in old photos.
Normally African and Asian elephants are not in the same geographic area so they don’t have an opportunity to mate. And they are actually 2 different species so cross breeding is very difficult. Which got me to thinking, do other species cross breed?
Well of course? There is the zebroid (zebra and horse), the cama (camel and llama), the pizzly (polar bear and grizzly) and no I am not making this up, the wholphin, a cross between a dolphin and killer whale. Wow, I continue to be amazed at this whole world out there just waiting to be discovered.