North American Asian Elephant Population 2025

I do have one concern regarding Billy and Tina's move to Tulsa: even though the exhibit is now many acres large, is modern and has more than enough elephants for Billyto onteract and play with, I'm sure he will still continue to head bob and sway his body which will only fuel more controversy. He strangely seemed to do these stereotypical distress behaviors A LOT even in the large and state of the art Elephants of Asia exhibit. It used to be very common to see elephants bob and sway in captivity, but now it's rarely seen with the large improved exhibits and the proper social structures in place. I feel I have seen captive African elephants weave less than Asians but even they can do that.
 
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The Horse Boy said:
I do have one concern regarding Billy and Tina's move to Tulsa: even though the exhibit is now many acres large, is modern and has more than enough elephants for Billyto onteract and play with, I'm sure he will still continue to head bob and sway his body which will only fuel more controversy. He strangely seemed to do these stereotypical distress behaviors like that even in the large modern and nice Elephants of Asia exhibit. It used to be very common to see elephants bob and sway in captivity, but now it's rarely seen with the large improved exhibits and the proper social structures in place. I feel I have seen captive African elephants weave less than Asians but even they can do that.
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I've seen Billy firsthand when he was in his old exhibit versus his new one. He was bobbing his head in his old space, meanwhile in Elephants of Asia he was nonchalantly walking around eating his hay. Tulsa's got two things going for them - an extensive enrichment program which would prevent the head-bobbing and the company of even more elephants. There are two kinds of people in this world - those who can extrapolate from missing data...
 
I have been wondering how Tulsa Zoo will manage three adult bull elephants in close proximity of each other! And all of the mature cows. A retirement facility galore. It would have made more sense to send the cows to a sanctuary, keep the bulls for semen collection as all of them are valuable. And down the road when the bulls die, start a breeding herd. But hey... I am not part of the administration or the studbook keeping. But I have to shake my head at this.
 
The Horse Boy said:
I do have one concern regarding Billy and Tina's move to Tulsa: even though the exhibit is now many acres large, is modern and has more than enough elephants for Billyto onteract and play with, I'm sure he will still continue to head bob and sway his body which will only fuel more controversy. He strangely seemed to do these stereotypical distress behaviors A LOT even in the large and state of the art Elephants of Asia exhibit. It used to be very common to see elephants bob and sway in captivity, but now it's rarely seen with the large improved exhibits and the proper social structures in place. I feel I have seen captive African elephants weave less than Asians but even they can do that.
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It is a coping mechanism, he could be anticipating. It is also a very old habit when the habitats are old and do not have much enrichment Family is the best enrichment for elephants and back then people did not realize that. Now zoos are trying to have multigenerational herds and compatible herds versus of elephants being kept solitary with lack of enrichment. They still do this at the sanctuaries.
 
Some Elephants might bob and sway in zoos moreso because of some past traumatic experience or something similar, which is why you could occasionally see elephants do that in the newer enclosures. I think captive born elephants are less likely to weave.
 
As a zoo lover and guy who generally lpves seeing elephants there, I KNOW that the head bobbing and swaying is typically a distress sign. Luckily keepers try to reduce as much of it as possible.
 
Thomas said:
I need a List of Zoos with Functioning Multi-generational and Bachelor Herds of Asian Elephants, a List of Zoos that are expecting a matrilineal/Split, and Zoos that are acquiring or planning on bringing the Asian Elephants back, please?
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Zoos with Functioning Multi-generational and Bachelor Herds

Multi generational breeding herds:

African Lion Safari - multiple matrilines, three generations
Albuquerque Zoo - single matriline, two generations
Rosamond Gifford Zoo - single matriline, three generations
Smithsonian National Zoo - single matriline, two generations
Saint Louis Zoo - single matriline, four generations
Oklahoma City Zoo - single matriline, two generations (soon to be three)
Fort Worth Zoo - single matriline, three generations
Cincinnati Zoo - single matriline, three generations
Houston Zoo - multiple matrilines, three generations
Endangered Ark Foundation - single matriline, two generations
White Oak - multiple matrilines, two generations

Bachelor herds:

Denver Zoo - only regional designated bachelor facility

Cincinnati, Columbus, Houston, Oklahoma and Oregon also have separate bachelor facilities/paddocks alongside their breeding facilities.

Zoos that are expecting a matrilineal/Split

African Lion Safari - short term
Saint Louis Zoo - long term
Houston Zoo - short term
White Oak - long term

Zoos that are acquiring or planning on bringing the Asian Elephants back

None to my knowledge - but I may be forgetting a facility here.
 
Jambo said:
Zoos with Functioning Multi-generational and Bachelor Herds

Multi generational breeding herds:

African Lion Safari - multiple matrilines, three generations
Albuquerque Zoo - single matriline, two generations
Rosamond Gifford Zoo - single matriline, three generations
Smithsonian National Zoo - single matriline, two generations
Saint Louis Zoo - single matriline, four generations
Oklahoma City Zoo - single matriline, two generations (soon to be three)
Fort Worth Zoo - single matriline, three generations
Cincinnati Zoo - single matriline, three generations
Houston Zoo - multiple matrilines, three generations
Endangered Ark Foundation - single matriline, two generations
White Oak - multiple matrilines, two generations

Bachelor herds:

Denver Zoo - only regional designated bachelor facility

Cincinnati, Columbus, Houston, Oklahoma and Oregon also have separate bachelor facilities/paddocks alongside their breeding facilities.

Zoos that are expecting a matrilineal/Split

African Lion Safari - short term
Saint Louis Zoo - long term
Houston Zoo - short term
White Oak - long term

Zoos that are acquiring or planning on bringing the Asian Elephants back

None to my knowledge - but I may be forgetting a facility here.
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San Antonio is planning to bring them back. Nashville has wanted to for a while now but never really been able to act on it.
 
MidwestFan said:
Indu at Phoenix Zoo has died. Phoenix no longer holds Asian Elephants:
Phoenix Zoo
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I knew that enclosure was not really adequate for Asian by today's standards of elephant husbandry. I guess their expansion did not say much. I know they bounced arpund the idea of sending their 3 elder cows to TES then bring in a bachelor group into their current facility, but it's long scrapped now.
 
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