Yamaguchi: Elephant Weighing Made Easy at Zoo with New Custom-Built Scale

The Yomiuri Shimbun

17:46 JST, November 23, 2024

SHUNAN, Yamaguchi — A weight scale might not immediately come to mind as a great present, but the zookeepers at Tokuyama Zoo in Shunan, Yamaguchi Prefecture, are happy with their recent special gift. The zoo received a custom-built weight scale designed specifically for its two elephants, courtesy of a local sales and repair company for weighing equipment.

The zoo is home to two Sri Lankan elephants: Milinda, who is male and 16 years old, and Namalee, who is female and 18 years old. Until now, the elephants had to balance their feet on four separate flat platforms to be weighed. However, two of these platforms eventually broke, forcing the elephants into an awkward stance to get an accurate weight. Milinda even became a social media sensation by demonstrating a unique skill — standing on just two feet to be weighed.

In response, Tokuyama Scale decided to develop a simpler, more comfortable solution. The firm engineered a specialized weight scale for the elephant pair that is now installed in their enclosure. The new scale uses the same technology for weighing vehicles, and its display screen — located where visitors can view it — shows the animals’ weight measurements in real time.

On Nov. 1, Milinda’s weight was measured. When “4,761 kg” appeared on the display, the children watching erupted into cheers.