PresidentLeslieKnope
381946
11782
85
Snow at the zoo
Protest Megathread: Thursday
"Hey hey, dude, don't be shy, just go talk to her."
This elephant is legitimately smiling while enjoying ice in Portland Zoo.
This elephant is legitimately smiling.
Playing Ice with trunk is adorable.
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r19F6LhzhCA
ASmellofWineandCheapPerfume
This makes my heart so happy!!
WickedOwlHunter
Nora is the best polar bear we've had
GoldyBronzyIrony
Vaanhalen
I want to believe this is a real elephant on a real tramp
GingeraffeTW
The Portland zoo is still kinda crap. But I like happy animals!!!
PresidentLeslieKnope
Agreed.
HighSlayerRalton
MRW:
xRAINxOFxBLOODx
"Retrieve?"
baconeggcheesehashbrownburrito
pleebarb
Sees elephant smiling, realise I'm smiling now too. +1 sir
IndustrialSolvent
Nice.
pleebarb
Nice.
pthalio
This makes me kinda sad
pthalio
Because they should be able to be this happy all the time
ThatAssholeOverThere
They wouldnt be in the wild. In zoos (good ones at least) the animals are rescues that have been abused or injured and would have died
Morg729
The second seal gif shows him trying to get his friend's attention
drdreadpirateroberts
DidItForScience
BunsonTheDog
That's Nora!!
Pettson
#4 Seal on the left "Dude omg omg omg, look att all this snow!!!"
hartbreackr
Seeing polar bears in the zoo getting so happy by playing with snow/artificial snow always makes me sad.
LaraCroftsBrokenRib
they're so happy!
MissSpelledTattoo
sheriwallace123
Love her, and that movie :)
alllifeinfate
She was having the best year last year with Nocturnal Animals and Arrival... would definitely be deserving of at least an Oscar nominations!
PresidentLeslieKnope
I love the seal in #4 like "hey, dude, are you seeing this? Look at this!"
LaraCroftsBrokenRib
even the elephant's having the time of his life :)
PresidentLeslieKnope
Normally not a fan of zoos, but this made me exceptionally happy.
UH60Mechanic
This is so pure. I needed this today.
Santooth
I feel like many of them are never going to see this again and that makes me sad...
cpuppet
Wow that just put me in the best mood. How can anyone not love seeing this?!?
taytayxoxoxo
As a very new resident to the out skirts of Portland from Atlanta Ga it is a fuck ton of snow!
sheanar
The polar bear breaks my heart. Imagine how much he has missed the snow.
ThatAssholeOverThere
Probably not a lot, since he's most likely a rescue or born in captivity
slappycoolz
Nora was born at the Columbus Zoo, and was reared by humans. Source: I work at the Oregon Zoo
Spiderbubble
Still, they're kind of built for colder weather than Portland. It's cold here, but not *that* cold.
imalovernotaspider
Why am I so sad that these animals are so happy?
pdxenburg
My dog gets this happy in the snow. Hmmm
PresidentLeslieKnope
Because zoos rob animals of experiencing their natural habitat or new things. So this happiness is the result of deprivation.
Pearllovesyou
The same reason I tear up at footage of children in 3rd world countries SO ELATED to receive a pair of shoes or school supplies.
ILikeCharlieWork
TIL bears are just giant puppers
MissSpelledTattoo
Snow puppy!
kmikl
The ones at the Toronto Zoo always, always perk up when there's snow.
onlyhalfghost
I remember seeing the polar bears outdoors in June one year when it was really hot (2006, maybe?) and they just looked really depressed.
ILikeCharlieWork
That makes me sad.
onlyhalfghost
It was noon on a sunny day in June, temperature around 30. Too hot for humans, never mind a bear native to the arctic.
TheDivineUsersub
In terms of genetics, bears are a cousin-species to the dog.
sandvich101
I'm so happy to see Portland on the front page!
illinterrogatethecat
My boss told me it was selfish to wish for snow because of the elderly. Fuck her. I LOVE SNOW.
Fritzkof
Wtf, like snow comes from wishes?
illinterrogatethecat
I know right. Full on tried to blame me for wanting snow. 'You're a selfish person, you have no empathy.' WHAT?! She's crazy.
shakinmyhead
"Do you see that,man, do you see the snow, dude, the snow, omg omg omg omg, SNOOOOW" - seal to seal
Squidills
Tapy tapy tapy tap
DefinitelyProbablyPooping
New reaction gif for sure
kilometric
Mark my words, that is gonna be in the top five captioned gifs of the year
koka101
That's gonna be in the gif wars before long...
jarjarbinksisthesithlord
For my own education's sake, I thought they were sea lions?
GuacamoleMoleMolester
Those are just sea cats.
LouieAndersonsSmile
Sea lions are slimmer, can "stand up" on their flippers, and have little ears. Those are blubbery happy seals.
GoodbyeItWasntMeYoureLookingFor
Isn't that a word bank?
FuckingGilfoyle
jarjarbinksisthesithlord
Thank you! (:
TayMalerei
I'm glad the animals are at least happy :) I live north of Portland and the snow is making it impossible to go anywhere
NihonJinLover
Thunderstorms here in Michigan. In January.
MagicalSafetyDragon
I live in North Portland and work in SE. My boss/co-workers covered my shifts for the next couple of days before I even had to ask
TheBigLebowskiFromTheCreatorsofFargo
For real. I was trying to pass through from WA to Cali and now I'm stuck in a motel off of Interstate Ave. I'm hoping to leave tomorrow.
PresidentLeslieKnope
I live in the hills of Portland, and I become such a scrooge when it snows. I hate being trapped, but this is damn cute.
TawnyDemase
I am legitimately excited to live so close to Madam President!
TawnyDemase
I am legitimately excited to live so close to Madam President!
PresidentLeslieKnope
Always glad to meet a fan, as well as a local. ;)
Catsandbutts
Vantucky? That's where I'm at
TayMalerei
Yup. I live up on a hill too so I don't have plans on walking anywhere either
Catsandbutts
My work place wa sopen. Because we don't close for anything. So that's what I did.
itgotupanditdancedaway
I walked somewhere today. I don't recommend it
Lizaderp
Orchards here. But I learned how to drive in Klamath Falls so I'm having a great time.
Catsandbutts
I'm in Orchards too. Which is Vancouver.
dgbooster
same here forget trying to go up hwy 26 to work later on
SirSmurfalot
In Louisiana, just saying the word Snow is enough to cause traffic problems.
MermaidMegan
I live east of Portland and I'm beginning to get cabin fever. My daughter no longer yells "Yay snow" when she looks outside. We're over it.
beerlady
I'm in southern oregon and we had it all last week. Full week of snow days and late starts this week. No kid said yay snow ever...this week
MermaidMegan
Well she's 2, so it sounds more like "nooooo" when she says snow. And she's too young to miss school. She's just not impressed anymore. Haha
DrakeBonJovi
Glad the animals are enjoying it, most of us humans are already completely done with this bs.
dgbooster
same here forget trying to go up hwy 26 to work later on
xRAINxOFxBLOODx
I have to walk around Eugene every monday. It's not as bad as Portland, but there's ice and slush puddles everywhere. Or there was on monday
kungfusansu
West of Hillsboro here... Wish I could get in to the zoo
AndTheOscarGoesToLeonardoDicaprio
Glad to know your mom is happy, @OP
ilexilexilex
This dirt is cold... and it won't wash off!
PresidentLeslieKnope
Aside from your joke, I sent the video to my mom, and she was very happy.
AndTheOscarGoesToLeonardoDicaprio
See? Win win :)
ISuperBelieveInYouTadCooper
Upvoting for snow, Portland, happy animals, and your wonderful username!!!
PresidentLeslieKnope
allpinkeverything
OMG IMAGINE HOW HAPPY THEY'D BE IF THEY WERE IN THEIR NATURAL HABITAT WHERE IT WAS LIKE THAT ALL THE TIME...
Pearllovesyou
Love it:) Fuck zoos.
UnslicedBreadisCoolToo
Zoos are responsible for a lot of conversation efforts and animal research though. It's one of the "for the greater good" things.
UnslicedBreadisCoolToo
I said conversation efforts. What I meant was conservation efforts.
allpinkeverything
While I'll say your edit is a much better argument I still disagree.
Alt130
They would if their natural habitat hadn't been turned into a biohazard hellhole.
andBingowashisNameOh
First I was gonna downvote but then I realized you're taking the piss. .. right?
Dawnstempest
YEAH! IMAGINE THE HORRIBLE DISEASES, AND GETTING PICKED OFF BY PREDATORS. OH. AND THE POACHING. LET'S RELEASE THEM TOMORROW!
spockforpresident
After seeing this, how can we not think animals are at least sentient if not somehow "people" themselves?
Fritzkof
And people think I'm an idiot for not eating animals.
lastminute
I don't care what you do or don't eat.
Fritzkof
guminski
My mom has "just an animal" sentiment. I found out as an adult it stems from my uncles beating their pets and she rationalized it that way
onlyhalfghost
Because there are objective tests of sapience which very few animals pass, and which in fact humans don't consistently pass until about 4-5.
spockforpresident
Well
onlyhalfghost
Nah, it's science. However, sentience isn't sapience, and many animals are sentient, just not capable of abstract thought or communication.
spockforpresident
I know it's science lol sarcasm, man.
guminski
You inadvertently admitted that some animals are smarter than some 5 y/o kids (like elephants). Not sure what your point is
onlyhalfghost
That it's why we don't regard most animals as sapient. It's also a measure of ability to think, not total intelligence.
heuheuheuheuheu
Surprised the elephant likes it that much. I would've thought they wouldn't like the cold.
TK421isAFK
He loves it because it keeps all the Portlandians inside.
Quarantinous
Elephants have very thick skin, they can probably last a while in the cold.
Treblaine
Elephants are so big they usually have overheating problems, it being cold may be a delightful change and they may dread it getting very hot
asanguinerose
Maybe give him a pair of Elepants?
thebigredboat
Everyone likes snow
SoSmartOrOhSoPleasant
it runs in the family his granddad was a mammoth.
Ivalicenyan
"Hey this is new!"
hypostatic
(2) so a little bit of snow could be refreshing to them, for a little bit at least
UpvoteTotem
They're so playful, I bet they think of playing in snow like human kids do
TheyHunger
Inverse square law means they have a far higher mass / surface area ratio than us. It'd take awhile to really feel cold.
pdxenburg
He thought it was cocaine at first
hypostatic
(1) hmm you'd think so. But they're also mammals -- they don't have much body hair because they need to radiate all that extra heat.
IcommentMostlyWithGifs
Isn't their ancestor the wooly mammoth?
Tentrees
No. They share an ancestor and turned up at about the same time. Asian elephants specifically, african is older.
IcommentMostlyWithGifs
I see
Tentrees
SCIENCE!!! (more useless science: mastodons and mammoths aren't really closely related in spite of both being hairy elephants)
Swagosauruss
The Mmammoth genes are strong in this one
Swagosauruss
Mammoth*
Lowzenza
Not for too long but something different like this is a great stimulant for bored animals!
Gamerdragon
They're decedents of woolly mammoths. primal instincts are kicking in.
RandomUpvotes
sifkoh
Any change in environment is probably exciting for a zoo animal.
heywhaddays
True. :(
slamesh
Plot twist: It's cocaine
mabbo
Just don't let Bob Barker see this or he'll somehow force you to move the elephants to a warmer zoo. (Toronto Zoo. This happened.)
thegriffin88
They're as smart as us so I assume they enjoy any new sensation. He IS smiling. Or at least he is feeling joy as we feel it.
thegriffin88
Which one of you hates elephants?
guminski
Dude... they're mammals. You're a mammal. None of us like cold but playing in the snow for the first time is wicked
krautkebabs
After hanging out in a cage for years looking at the same old surroundings. ...anything is refreshing i imagine. ..cold or not
luxiem
http://www.oregonzoo.org/news/2015/12/zoos-new-elephant-lands-opens-pachyderms-public 2/2
luxiem
Oregon Zoo elephants live in a 6 acre habitat, which includes a pool to play in and access to indoor space 1/2
mcow
Visited the zoo for the first time since a long while and there were so many depressed animals that I never wanted to go back again.
CaptainHyperbole
Yeah they're like giant naked mole rats
Buckbeak1486
Except cuter!
CaptainHyperbole
well yeah of course, but they have no fur, that's all i was trying to say.
JohnnyWalkerTexas
If that elephant is older than 37 it's the first time its pen looks different. Cold or not it'd make me freak because breaking boredom.
YourMotherOnlyToleratesYou
The Oregon Zoo has a massive habitat for the elephants. Most are rescues from private collections or circuses.
JohnnyWalkerTexas
Thats good to know. Thanks
YourMotherOnlyToleratesYou
Np. Some goofs complain that the animals 'look sad' when they visit. Bunch of the animals are 10% to +50% older than what they could live
YourMotherOnlyToleratesYou
to in the wild naturally.
IAmLobstronomous
I like to think that because they're highly intelligent and inquisitive, they realize this is a special treat to be enjoyed while possible.
JohnnyWalkerTexas
Sadly yes.
samsonguy920
And they remember there is a room for them to go where it is nice and warm.
Speldrawng
Exactly. Anything that breaks the monotony of their captivity must be really great for them. They really shouldn't be in captivity...
samsonguy920
You really shouldn't be in captivity.
Speldrawng
Hey! My wife lets me out once a week!
EarthAnimalArmy
throw in your righteous hatred and superiority saying this animal shouldn't be in captivity, you have no idea of its quality of life there
override367
zoos like this one are how animals are going to survive the coming ecological apocalypse
Speldrawng
"Apocalypse" only applies to those that don't survive. To those that do, the event is a great opportunity. Funny how nature do dat.
WeaponizedPotato
Hannibal clearly didn't care
thecheerfulpessimist
Hannibal's personal mount was a "Syrian elephant" which was likely a subspecies of Asian elephant. So others might have been Asian, too.
zarkingphoton
Sick reference, bro
DefinetlyNotARussianSpy
Historical
DefinetlyNotARussianSpy
/a/6ZOW2
WeaponizedPotato
I haven't seen that one before, that's great!
dolphindreamsandsatan
Yup
samsonguy920
Hannibal had african elephants. They gave a shit.
kiwiflavored
And made lots of dung beetles happy
Alamyst2011
Probably not for long periods. However they love to play.
slagath0r
That is an enormous adorable creature
CheeseDanish
They do!!! :DDD
IronMarla
Smart enough to be fascinated by the newness of things, too. Elephants are crazy intelligent.
DongSayaDae
Dont we all though?
DurendaI
Not Honey Badgers. They don't give fuck.
NotFunt
They have no fuck
ShdwRrw
I mean, I bet they do too. I know that their favorite game is called "who to fuck up next."
PantsGuy
I read that as, "Who the fuck's next?"
DurendaI
"Who can I castrate that is many time larger than I am?"
ZombiesAndZoos
Can confirm. Small ears + humped back = Asian elephant = more cold-tolerant. Oregon Zoo is AZA, so I'm sure keepers kept an eye on exposure.
SquishyMittens
Ewww, AZA
SquishyMittens
Lol. People downvoting have no idea what kind of group they are.
CheshireDoge
To a point. http://www.idausa.org/campaign/elephants/10-worst-zoos-2016/
luxiem
They opened a brans new habitat for the elephants his year, so the "isolation" may have been when they were transitioning. 2/4
luxiem
My family has passes to the Oregon Zoo, we go a lot. We have seen Packy with the other elephants every time we go. Same for Samurda. 1/4
luxiem
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=EUUBM115xWs Samurda and Lily playing in the mud 4/4
luxiem
http://www.oregonzoo.org/discover/new-zoo/elephant-lands 3/4
ZombiesAndZoos
That organization is anti-zoo of any kind, so grain of salt needed. Less than 10% of US zoos achieve AZA accreditation. It's a huge deal.
TitaniumMonkeyBalls
Brings out their inner Mammoth
MrAwesomesauce101
The Asian subspecies is genetically related to them.
TheExistentialMillennial
Yes but is the Asian subspecies genetically related to them though?
MrAwesomesauce101
The Asian subspecies is genetically related to them.
TheInternetIsHell
We are genetically related to them.
y2kNep
Everyone is related to Genghis khan.
kiwiflavored
And to everything else that crawls or oozes across this planet. The entire biosphere is related. 90% of your protein-coding genes are ...
TitaniumMonkeyBalls
If everyone is related to Genghis Khan, and everyone is related to Kevin Bacon...is Kevin Bacon Genghis Khan?
TheRickestofMortys
Judging by ear size it's an Asian elephant and those can be found in Nepal.
kumaclimber
Correct the Oregon zoo is known for their Asian elephant program
TheRickestofMortys
I went once when I was 4. I remember seeing some sort of owl that was endangered and not understanding the idea of temperate rainforests.
PanditGangadharVidyadharMayadharOmkarnathShastri
Even in Nepal they are found in southern border nearing India. And there aren't more than 40 elephants in all
PanditGangadharVidyadharMayadharOmkarnathShastri
of Nepal. Main habitat of Asian elephants is south India and SE Asian countries like Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia etc. Not the Himalayas
knoldpold
Right, the african elephant has very large ears to cool down it's blood, but asian elephants live in a colder climate, so they don't have to
DidoModesto
And " sometimes it snows in Nepal."
headcheese3
Just what I was thinking. Asian elephants have to have some way to endure the cold. Or they wouldn't be in a large part of Asia.
Sauroctonus
True, but the southern border of Nepal includes foothills and lowlands, which is where I expect the elephants live.
tornbetweenscyllaandcovfefe
I was trying to tell from the trunk, I didn't know they had different ears.
TheSaucyCrumpet
Ears are the easiest way to tell them apart: knysnaelephantpark.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/african_asian_elephant_comparison.png
TheSaucyCrumpet
Sorry the link broke: http://knysnaelephantpark.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/african_asian_elephant_comparison.png
AJ2KB
And thanks to overwatch we know there's snow there.
Proboscidea4815162342
Or Thailand.
joeyc99
You're intelligence if geography and attention to details just made me ejaculate in my pants.
ranchenthusiast
that's why you were sent home from school so often.
ivdok
*Your *in
Beenbannedbefore2
Could have just been google, and you busted a nut for that
ShdwRrw
You know we've all busted a nut for less at some point or another.
Blewmeister
I bust a nut over most of my own google searches so you know, gotta give back once in a while.
vipe650r
That sentence was a bit of a train wreck. Do you want any help, or are you just tired?
DefinatelyNotaNinja
its hard typing with one hand down your pants
callitrichidae
But it only snows in the mountains in Nepal and elephants aren't mountain elephants.
bikoz
exactly, never seen them tuskies in the hills apart from central zoo in Nepalese capital, its amazing to see elephant actually enjoying snow
TheRickestofMortys
Even so they're far more equipped for lower temperatures than African elephants, which is what heuh might have thought they were.