Elephant appreciation: Longtime denizens of New Bedford zoo celebrated

Emily and Ruth, the great, gray madams of Buttonwood Park Zoo, have been one of the zoo's most popular attractions for the past 39 years.

Generations of families have visited Emily and Ruth, always confident that the graceful giants will be there to entertain, or at the very least allow visitors to watch them for a while.

And, they've held up their end of the bargain well, even now as they slide past their normal life expectancy.