The markings on the tigers forehead make up the Chinese symbol of Wang, or King.
Thong Dee - 'Golden'
Year: 1997 (estimated) Sex : Female
Photo: Jeff Darmanin
Thong Dee is the shortest female elephant in the Taronga herd. She is easy to distinguish due to the notch at the top of her right ear and she also has very small tusks (called tushes).
Prior to arriving in Australia Thong Dee was a former street elephant from Bangkok. When Thai elephant owners are short on cash, they sometimes need to bring elephants into the city to beg for food and tourists will also pay to have photos taken with them.
City streets are hazardous places to be for elephants as many are hit by vehicles and suffer from polluted food sources. Luckily for Thong Dee her owners decided on a different future for her and put her into the care of Taronga Zoo rather than continue her life on the streets.
Since arriving into our group she has become a very laidback and happy elephant. Whether the group is swimming or wrestling in a mud wallow, you can be sure to find Thong Dee right in the middle or in most cases on the bottom due to her size but none-the-less having a great time.
Thong Dee and our maturing male, Gung, get along very well and together produced the first ever Asian Elephant calf born in Australia in July 2009 - named Luk Chai, which is Thai for 'son'.
Thong Dee has a special friend in Tang Mo and they have always looked out for one another. After Thong Dee gave birth, Tang Mo appointed herself as Number One 'Aunty' to the calf and spends a great deal of time watching over him.
Thong Dee is a good mum and her calf will continue to feed from her for up to three years.
