Heavy metal used to 'calm' teen elephants

From the Metro UK, which shows that metal music may be bad for OUR hearts, but does some amazing things for elephants!

Soft rock, hard rock, heavy rock – there are lots of different types of rock music. But now zookeepers think they may have discovered a new genre – trunk rock.

Staff looking after a trio of African elephants are playing them heavy metal music to improve their behaviour.

Keepers say the troublesome teenage giants are instantly calmed down when they hear the twangs of rock legends such as Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Metallica and, er, Def Leppard.

But turn off the anthems during their morning eating and bathing ritual and stroppy adolescents Jack, Lataba and Five throw tantrums and start pacing.

'The elephants love it. It's just such a good distraction for them and a good way to keep them calm,' said keeper Bob Lawrence.

The trio have been played soothing music during their two-hour morning ritual for the past ten years.

But only recently have staff at West Midlands Safari Park in Bewdley, Worcestershire, discovered rock tunes have the biggest calming effect.

'They could probably pick out the bands they like better than me,' said Mr Lawrence. But he didn't reveal whether or not Status Quo songs started a stampede...