Asian Elephants in Europe 2020

Elephant Enthusiast said:
It's great to hear that an exchange of bulls is happening between Knie's Children's Zoo (Rapperswil), Wildlands Adventure Zoo (Emmen), the Rotterdam Zoo, and Bellewaerde (Ieper). With Fahim moving from Ieper to Rotterdam, Timber moving from Rotterdam to Emmen, and Mekong moving from Emmen to Rapperswil, is Thisiam moving to another institution for breeding or will he remain at Rapperswil? Also, since Thisiam has yet to cover Sandry and Kalaya in the nearly five years he's been at Rapperswil, is Thisiam reproductively viable?
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Thisiam is likely to stay in Rapperswil. He lived alone in Poland for quite a long time and cannot behave properly with cows. Mekong should only travel there for a certain period of time, I believe Thisiam will teach correct behavior and will pair with cows in a few years' time.

Elephant Enthusiast said:
Unfortunately, yes. The information on EleWiki came from the Leipzig Zoo's internet series 'Elefant, Tiger & Co.' It's quite disheartening to hear that Kiran isn't gaining weight, and has yet to surpass his birth weight. Hopefully, the veterinarians will be able to figure out why Kiran isn't gaining weight and put him on supplements to support growth and weight gain. It would be absolutely devastating to lose Kiran, especially after the passing of Ben Long.
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This is sad, hopefully we will be able to support its growth. Leipzig has bad luck in breeding elephants. But I know that Ein She Min Nayone from Emmen also had some growth problems, but he was older.

Elephant Enthusiast said:
Other than the information on EleWiki, there are no sources that state Nina is indeed pregnant and expecting in 2021. However, it's very probable that she is as Upali arrived at Le Pal in February of 2019 and was seen breeding with Nina shortly there after. I'm interested to know where one can find that french television source. Has Le Pal Park announced the pregnancy on their Facebook page?

There's one thing that worries me about Nina's unconfirmed pregnancy; will she be able to support the extra weight of the calf during the pregnancy after sustaining that devasting leg injury from Maxim, the park's previous bull, nearly five years ago? Fortunately, after 10 months of treatment, she fully recovered and was able to support her full body weight. Also, it's been nearly four years since she's recovered from the injury so she should be able to support the weight of a pregnancy but I still have uncertainties.
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Nothing was announced on Facebook, but it is possible that the zoo does not announce it. Perhaps he knows what they are doing. If Nina didn't have to handle her pregnancy, the zoo would probably not risk her health.
 
This news I would take with a tiny grain of salt. Although there is a good chance she is pregnant, there is also a small chance she might be spontaneously lactating from the two newest calves suckling at her as well. What makes me go "hmm" is that the past three pregnancies were all announced quite a while before the birth, but not a peep from DP about any pregnancies right now.
 
Hyak_II said:
This news I would take with a tiny grain of salt. Although there is a good chance she is pregnant, there is also a small chance she might be spontaneously lactating from the two newest calves suckling at her as well. What makes me go "hmm" is that the past three pregnancies were all announced quite a while before the birth, but not a peep from DP about any pregnancies right now.
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Of course, it is possible her pregnancy is not entirely certain. But I think she's at the age when she should have a calf.
In addition, in the video, it seems to me that in a small shot, it is quite wide from behind, but not so much as to be clear. If she is pregnant, I think she would give birth to a calf sometime in 2021.
 
And on the topic of pregnancies, guess who isn't pregnant any more?

Thong Tai! She just gave birth to a little bull calf mere hours ago. Sad overall its a little bull, but nice for Artis, since this means Nikolai can stay for much longer without having to worry about breeding his own daughter. This is also the 16th living calf for Nikolai. He's nothing if not a good breeder!
 
Hyak_II said:
And on the topic of pregnancies, guess who isn't pregnant any more?

Thong Tai! She just gave birth to a little bull calf mere hours ago. Sad overall its a little bull, but nice for Artis, since this means Nikolai can stay for much longer without having to worry about breeding his own daughter. This is also the 16th living calf for Nikolai. He's nothing if not a good breeder!
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Great news! In this case, I don't mind at all that it's not a cow. Thong Tai already has two living daughters. And Amsterdam probably couldn't have a larger breeding herd because of the small space.

What about Yindee? She's 15 years old and still not pregnant? I hope she is already pregnant.
 
Yesterday evening 4 May at 21.09 a male Asian elephant was born at Artis.

The delivery went very well. The calf was born in just one minute and fifteen minutes later it was already on four legs. After a few hours, the calf of the first breast milk drank.
 
Wonderful news, Janita at Prague has just given birth to her calf, and its a girl! This is the second calf for Janita, and is the 14th living calf for sire, Ankhor!

Things are really looking up for Prague's growing herd with the two new little cows down the road. Fingers crossed all goes well for them as time goes on.
 
The male calf born March 8, 2020 to 0.1 Nova and 1.0 Valentino at the Madrid Zoo & Aquarium has been named Hope. The other two names the public was able to vote for were Felix and Sani.

Nuestra cría de elefante tiene un nombre ... ¡Saludad a Hope! - Zoo Aquarium de Madrid | Facebook
¿No crees que este es el momento perfecto para nombrar a nuestra nueva cría de elefante? Elige tu favorito: Felix, Sani, o Hope - Zoo Aquarium de Madrid | Facebook
¿Puedes ayudarnos a nombrar a nuestra nueva cría de elefante? - Zoo Aquarium de Madrid | Facebook

The male calf born March 18, 2020 to 0.1 La Petite and 1.0 Motek at Ramat Gan Safari has been named however, there is no English translation for the announcement. If someone is able to translate the video in the first link that would be greatly appreciated.

לעגל הפיל הקטן שלנו יש שם !! - Ramat Gan Safari | Facebook
הצצה קטנה נוספת לעגל הפיל שנולדה אתמול ללה פיט - Ramat Gan Safari | Facebook
עגל פיל חדש נולד במהלך מגיפת נגיף הקורונה - Ramat Gan Safari | Facebook

Have any of the other 2020 calves been named yet (excluding Kiran, Umesh, Riva Hi Way, & Hope)?
 
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Elephant Enthusiast said:
The male calf born March 18, 2020 to 0.1 La Petite and 1.0 Motek at Ramat Gan Safari has been named however, there is no English translation for the announcement. If someone is able to translate the video in the first link that would be greatly appreciated.
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Unfortunately, I can't translate it, but I know it should be on "P". I've heard of Philo, but I don't know if it's the official name.

Elephant Enthusiast said:
Have any of the other 2020 calves been named yet (excluding Kiran, Umesh, Riva Hi Way, & Hope)?
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No other calves have been named yet. Both calves are waiting for names in Prague, a bull in Kolmarden and a bull in Amsterdam.
It is also possible that calves in Prague will be named at once.
 
https://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/knies-kinderzoo-bekommt-nachwuchs-151610711636
The 38-year-old Mekongl has moved to Knies Kinderzoo in Switzerland, where he is to breed with Sandry. Emmen is expecting the arrival of a new bull, Timber, from Rotterdam, who will hopefully also be with Swhe Zin.

Elephant dies at Zoo Planckendael
A 48-year-old Dumbo cow died in Planckendael. She was blind in one eye and lost a lot of weight. She was the matriarch of their herd and also perhaps the largest Asian cow in Europe. Now the matriarch will probably be Yu Yu Yin. RIP dear Dumbo.:(
 
Not unexpected, but nonetheless nice news, Mingalar Oo and Ma Ya Yee at Emmen are both pregnant and due in spring of 2021. Sire is of course Mekong. Swe Zin has also been bred by Timber already, and hopes are high she is pregnant as well, although we will not know for some time. Fingers crossed the Emmen "curse" is broken with this batch, and at least one (or even better all) of the calves will be cows this time!
 
Hyak_II said:
Not unexpected, but nonetheless nice news, Mingalar Oo and Ma Ya Yee at Emmen are both pregnant and due in spring of 2021. Sire is of course Mekong. Swe Zin has also been bred by Timber already, and hopes are high she is pregnant as well, although we will not know for some time. Fingers crossed the Emmen "curse" is broken with this batch, and at least one (or even better all) of the calves will be cows this time!
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Could the issue not be that different matrilineal groups exist at Emmen which predispose for male sex in offspring (as these are more likely to favour own bloodline and more of their own offspring in the next generation)?

From the earliest development of the Emmen breeding group consisted of haphazard assemblage of different cows and a bull. We now know that in any constellation dominance will be an issue in family groups and creates tensions (predisposition for one sex calves ..) and invariably leads to breaking up the individual matrilines in order that a more harmonious herd structure will ensue/develop.
 
Kifaru Bwana said:
Could the issue not be that different matrilineal groups exist at Emmen which predispose for male sex in offspring (as these are more likely to favour own bloodline and more of their own offspring in the next generation)?

From the earliest development of the Emmen breeding group consisted of haphazard assemblage of different cows and a bull. We now know that in any constellation dominance will be an issue in family groups and creates tensions (predisposition for one sex calves ..) and invariably leads to breaking up the individual matrilines in order that a more harmonious herd structure will ensue/develop.
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Emmen is all one matriline now. Their animals are as follows:

Mingalar Oo (Naing Thein x Htoo Kin Aye)
  • Radza Jr (Radza x Mingalar Oo)
  • Mauk (Mekong x Mingalar Oo)
Ma Yay Yee (Naing Thein x Htoo Kin Aye)
  • Ein She Min Nayone (Radza x Ma Yay Yee)
  • Manoa (Mekong x Ma Yay Yee)
Swe Zin (Radza x Htoo Kin Aye)
Einga Tha (Radza x Htoo Kin Aye)

Plus new breeding bull Timber (Ramon x Khaing Phyo Phyo)
 
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