WHAT:    Bamboo, say "aaaah." Elephant keepers will direct 32-year-old Bamboo, a female Asian elephant, to open wide for a "flossing" treatment. Two days later, the zoo’s herd of three dainty elephants will step on a scale for their quarterly weigh-in.

For the past two weeks, keepers have been treating Bamboo daily to remove hay and food impacted between her molars. Using very large pliers, keepers pull out food debris from the pocket that has developed between her molars, flush it with hydrogen peroxide and apply topical antibiotics.

Under the zoo’s elephant management program, staff has dedicated countless hours to ensure and maintain a viable health program for the elephants. For example, the keepers have conditioned the all-female herd to respond to various medical treatments: routine foot and skin care, regular fecal and physical examinations, nutritional and weight monitoring, and daily physical exercise.

WHEN: "Flossing": Monday, March 1, 11:00 - 11:30 a.m.

            Weigh-in:   Wednesday, March 3, 11:30 - 11:45 a.m. (Elephant crew begins setting up scales about 11:00. Actual weighing of all three elephants takes about 15 mins.)

WHERE: Inside the elephant barn. Please meet PR staff at the zoo’s South Gate at N. 50^th St. & Fremont Ave. N. If staff has already left, please check in at Visitors Assistance located just inside the South Gate.

WHO: "Flossing": Senior Veterinarian Dr. Janis Joslin, Elephant Keeper Ken Morgan and crew.

                Weigh-in: Lead Elephant Keeper Pat Maluy and crew, City of Seattle Transportation

OTHER: In addition to Bamboo are: 19-year-old Sri (pronounced "see"); 30-year-old Watoto, the sole African elephant at the zoo; and 20-year-old Chai, (rhymes with "shy"). After six years of unsuccessful attempts at artificially inseminating Chai, the zoo last fall sent her on breeding loan to Dickerson Park Zoo, Springfield, Missouri. Chai bred with mate Onyx in January. However, zoo officials will not be able to determine a pregnancy until April.

The zoo participates in the Elephant Species Survival Plan (SSP). SSPs are cooperative breeding programs among North American zoos to manage and expand the populations of endangered species to ensure genetic diversity, demographic stability, and research and education to help preserve wild populations in their changing habitat.