Thai Riots Rattle Gentle Anteaters

Zoo officials move sensitive animals away from noise and tear gas
By Peter Fearon,  Newser Staff
Posted Oct 14, 2008 3:53 AM CDT
Thai Riots Rattle Gentle Anteaters
A worker at Bangkok's Dusit Zoo sprays water to cool off an elephant. Zoo officials moved two anteaters in danger from noisy rioting.   (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

Violent clashes in Bangkok between police and protesters have produced two unlikely refugees—anteaters in the city's Dusit Zoo. Two 4-year-old anteaters who arrived from the US last year have been moved to another zoo where they won't be traumatized by the noise of rioting or tear gas, the BBC reports. Bangkok has been rocked by clashes for the last six weeks.

"This animal is sensitive about noise," said the zoo director. "The kangaroos and elephants have lived here for a long time and it is easy to calm them down."
(More Bangkok stories.)

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