Strict jumbo diet keeps elephants trim

MIDDLE-AGE spread affects elephants too! That’s why Dublin Zoo’s two Asian elephants are now on a strict diet.

Because Judy, 47, and Kirsty, 36, are less active than they used to be they tend to put on weight more easily.

But there's no danger of them piling on the pounds because their keeper, James Creighton, is counting the calories for them.

Both are on a carefully rationed diet of fruit, vegetables and hay.

James also slips a daily dose of cod liver oil into their food to prevent arthritis.

More information about Judy and Kirsty's fat-busting diet has been included in a new event just launched by the zoo called 'What's on the Menu?'

And with growing concern about obesity levels among Irish children, perhaps the animals can teach them a thing or two about healthy eating.

Humans eat the equivalent of around six elephants during their lifetime but that's nothing compared with what elephants like Judy and Kirsty can put away.

Elephants have to eat mountainous quantities because their digestive system can only absorb around half of what they consume.

The average elephant in captivity eats around 39kg of hay, 5kg to 7kg of grain and 5kg to 7kg of carrots in 24 hours.

There's no fast food on the animals' menu.

All of the them receive a fresh, nutritious diet similar to what they would get in the wild.

Young and old alike may also wonder why the chimpanzees at the zoo share food. Well, if one of them gets more than his share he sometimes gives it to a favoured group member.

The keepers also make sure the orangutans always keep their cool in hot weather they get special ice lollies made with a vitamin C supplement.

And here's a sample of what the zoo's four gorillas eat in just one day.

Breakfast leaves; one melon; six carrots; six tomatoes and primate breakfast cereal.

Lunch tree branches.

Dinner one cabbage; one-and-a-half turnips; two pieces of broccoli, two stalks of celery; two cauliflowers; three cucumbers; four onions; eight potatoes; 12 carrots and one litre of vitamin C drink.

'What's on the Menu?' will continue in Dublin Zoo until Monday, October 4.