FLOPPY TRUNKS PUTTING ELEPHANTS IN FUNK

FLOPPY TRUNKS PUTTING ELEPHANTS IN FUNK

DARIEN, Conn. (Wireless Flash) -- Animal experts are puzzled over a strange new affliction striking the elephant population in Zimbabwe: "Floppy Trunk Syndrome." The condition paralyzes an elephant's trunk, making it impossible to lift food up to its mouth, and since the creatures require up to 500 pounds of food a day, the disease could have devastating effects if it spreads beyond Zimbabwe. Elephant researcher Robert Pearlman recently analyzed 980 elephants in Kenya and, luckily, none had floppy trunks. He says toxic vegetation is the most popular theory for Floppy Trunk Syndrome and he plans on consulting traditional Masai healers to see which plant might be the culprit.