CALIFORNIA, United States (Reuters) — Vus’Musi, a 13-year-old male zoo elephant in California, got a shiny new replacement for his worn-out tusks after a Fresno zoo capped them with brass.
The Fresno Chaffee Zoo said on Thursday (March 9) that Vus’Musi had a history of being rough with his tusks and that they had become worn and cracked at his former zoo in San Diego.
The cracks could have led to the tusks actually breaking, which in turn could lead to infection, the zoo said.
The elephant was taken to the Fresno zoo where a local valve company offered to create brass caps for his tusks at no cost, according to the local NBC News affiliate.
Zoo keeper Tim Ramsay said giving Vus’Musi brass caps for his tusks involved essentially the same idea as capping human teeth.
“He’s 13 years old. He’s about 8,500 pounds (3,855 kilos). And he’s really rough with his tusks. He likes to hit them on things and break them. So those caps really just help him give added protection,” Ramsay said.
Zoo keepers say that Vus’Musi may not need the brass caps once his short tusks become long enough.
Until then, the elephant’s shiny tusks were providing an added attraction for zoo visitors young and old.
