Only one breeding bull, Po Chin. Their only other mature bull (Chamundi) is a behavioural non breeder. They do have a few other young males, but all are years away from breeding.
Asian Elephants in Europe 2020
- Thread starter Elephantelephant
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Elephantelephant
Well-Known Member
Milyen nemű a tavaszra várt kiselefánt? | Állatkert Budapest szívében
The calf from Angéle in Budapest, which will be born in the spring, will probably be a cow.
The calf from Angéle in Budapest, which will be born in the spring, will probably be a cow.
I wish they relocate Sayang back to a zoo prepared to hold Borneo elephant. Either in Europe and / or S.E. Asia (Long Kawi, .., others?)!
@pierre3, this was decided in 2018/19 in the new guidelines for Asiatic elephant management. Specifically said: Indian/Malayan/Sri Lankan yes, Sumatran yes. Bornean no (phase out).
Elephant_fan
Member
What was the reason to decide to not breed with Borneo elephants anymore?
Very few representatives of this genuine subspecies in European zoos. The undesirability of admixture of a genuine ESU into the main Indian/Sri Lankan/Malayan European Asiatics population.
TBH: I would wish at least 1-3 EEP zoos to invest in Bornean elephants, equally 1-3 EEP zoos in Sumatran elephants for population management and ex situ breeding (on a global species management level). Both are unique island subspecies evolutionary removed from mainland populations and both are under a serious degree of threat.
Apparently, they do support the holding of Sumatran elephants as a singular ESU. That is surely a win! I just would like them to be more ambitious in this.
Honestly I think this would be easily achievable!
For example, even just two facilities, Pairi Daiza and Hannover, (founding with Manari, Sayang, and perhaps 2-3 imported bulls and another 1-2 imported cows), could easily form a strong base for a pure Bornean population, and between the two of them alone, could hold a good 30-40 animals of assorted ages.
For Sumatrans, they could turn Spain into the pure Sumatran region. Along with Madrid, Benidorm, Estepona, and Sevilla could all join into pure subspecies groups after sending their current animals (all nonbreeding older cows and a single sumatran x mainland bull) to other facilities. It could even be an easy, gradual change. Import another bull or two, and another cow or two. Send the two old cows from Estepona to Sevilla to make room for the new group. As Madrid and Estepona breed and grow, eventually a cow group can be split and sent to Benidorm. Sevilla can serve as a massive bachelor repository. They can also hold the old non-breeding cow group, considering its a bunch of 40-50 year old cows, it'll likely dwindle off by the time they really need the space for the bachelor bulls produced by the new groups.
Also Australia zoo now has four pure Sumatran cows with no bull
I agree that elephants breed so slowly, that import of just 1 Bornean bull to Europe and 1 Sumatran bull to Australia could make the programs viable for years. Both are precious genetically populations.
Scientits usually state that 50 founders, unrelated if possible, are needed to ensure long-time survival of the population. I know imports can be progressive but it would mean long-term commitment and a lot of space creation given, as I am sure you're aware, that Asian elephant breeding must be slowed because of lack of space for young bulls. Space creation for elephants is not really cheap, it is not only about willingness like it would be to hold endangered snails or insects.
Importing animals takes a lot of time, energy and commitmment with all the administrative paperwork and logistics complications. It is time and money that is not dedicated to other important matters as ressources are scarce.
On top of that, elephants in captivity do not have a realistic role as reintroduction population. It would be super expensive and would mean that Bornean/Sumatran elephant population would have simply gone extinct !
Elephants are important in zoos as ambassadors, attractiveness and even research ect... but their direct conservation role is rather limited.
Something more doable would be to inseminate the Autralian cows with semen from a pure Sumatran elephant, either the ones in Madrid or in Indonesia.
Importing animals takes a lot of time, energy and commitmment with all the administrative paperwork and logistics complications. It is time and money that is not dedicated to other important matters as ressources are scarce.
On top of that, elephants in captivity do not have a realistic role as reintroduction population. It would be super expensive and would mean that Bornean/Sumatran elephant population would have simply gone extinct !
Elephants are important in zoos as ambassadors, attractiveness and even research ect... but their direct conservation role is rather limited.
Something more doable would be to inseminate the Autralian cows with semen from a pure Sumatran elephant, either the ones in Madrid or in Indonesia.
Last night Soraya gave birth to a male calf.
Nice to hear the calf is on the ground, and looking at the video, Soraya seems to show good maternal instincts so far. Sad to hear it's another bull though, I was really hoping Po Chin would pull through with another cow calf.
Also in exciting news, as I predicted, Bangka at Rotterdam has been confirmed pregnant! She is due in March to April of 2021.
Also in exciting news, as I predicted, Bangka at Rotterdam has been confirmed pregnant! She is due in March to April of 2021.
Where is this confirmed? Can't find it on their socials or website.
Never mind, found it: Olifantje op komst in Blijdorp
It was already known that they would leave, right?
I was unaware that they were leaving. Where are they going? I would hope Osnabruck, that's where their family is located.