I have wondered the same thing. How big is the reserve they came from? And when the reserve receive elephants upon initiation? And how many founders? Where did the founders come from? That would tell us so much more. But we will never know.
North American African Elephant Population 2025
- Thread starter E Maximus
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I have wondered the same thing. How big is the reserve they came from? And when the reserve receive elephants upon initiation? And how many founders? Where did the founders come from? That would tell us so much more. But we will never know.
The elephants all came from Swaziland where it was stated that as of 2015, the population numbered 39 elephants at both the Mkhaya and Hlane National Parks.
San Diego and Tampa imported elephants in 2003 from Mkhaya, and the 2016 import from Hlane. These elephants essentially function in the same space - so there's likely a lot of overlap, and a good possibility a lot of the elephants are therefore related (from both imports too) especially when you consider there'd be very few bulls living in the country too with the space the parks have. The elephants in Swaziland also all descend from exports from South Africa in the 80's and 90's, to free up space there.
I'm not sure how many herds there were exactly, and how they went about the imports. However the youthful age of a lot of the elephants imported seems to suggest that a select few elephants were selected from however many herds the parks had (I'm guessing two to four based on the overall number of elephants).
Although we are not privy to genetic information on the forum, I would hedge to bet that the SSP has done some to determine how closely the imports are or are not related.
With Jambo's information, I would venture that all of the imports are at least first cousins with at least one same grandparent. Especially if that region is/were limited with bulls. It seems the imports are mostly F1s and we have a few F2s imported and mostly born here.
Do you mean by parent verified? I doubt there is enough genetics for that, but they could likely be able to tell they are related, but honestly it is a such small population, so it is highly likely they are. It would have been interesting regardless. I doubt the management in the two national parks are keeping records.
Just by genetic testing, they can determine how closely related individuals may be. The % match of DNA can be useful to determine siblings, cousins, etc.
Mr.Ivory
Well-Known Member
Although this is very speculative, but just by looks I'm of the belief that Jayei, Kiki, Claire are sisters, or at least very close relatives, and Omma and the late Warren being siblings, but with no released info regarding familial relationships it's hard to 100% confirm.
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Do you kn
Do you know the number that was imported at each import in 2003 and 2015
Mr.Ivory
Well-Known Member
The 2003 imports contained 11 individuals, 3.8, while the 2015 imports contained 18 individuals, 3.15.
In any case, the zoos who are holding the bloodlines of these elephants need to plan on finding fresh genetics to keep things vital. We do not know how closely related Mabu is to the cows at SD and Tucson. It would be safe to say they share at least one family member in the second or third generation at least. And there are Jack offspring along with Callees.
I should note that Sdudla looks different than Mabu? And Sdula is not as well represented as Mabu is.
I should note that Sdudla looks different than Mabu? And Sdula is not as well represented as Mabu is.
I hope that they managed to use as much of their genes as possible from both imports
Mr.Ivory
Well-Known Member
They did, Mabu is one of, if not the most represented bulls in the population, with Jackson falling second place, his eldest son Callee in third, Maclean in fourth, Sdudla and Buglwagi tied in fifth, and Titan in sixth.
Thank you, Would you know how many calfs were produced from those imported cows?
2003 imports:
1.0 Mabu (Fresno, California)
1.0 Sdudla (Tampa, Florida)
0.1 Matjetka (Tampa, Florida)
0.1 Mbali (Tampa, Florida)
0.1 Ndula (San Diego, California)
0.1 Litsemba (Tucson, Arizonia)
0.1 Lungile (Tucson, Arizonia)
0.1 Swazi (San Diego, California)
0.1 Umnigandi (San Diego, California)
1.0 Msolo (Atlanta, Georgia)
0.1 Umoya (San Diego, California, deceased)
2016 imports
0.1 Jayei (Omaha, Nebraska)
0.1 Zumberi (Wichita, Kansas)
0.1 Arusi (Wichita, Kansas)
0.1 Simunye (Wichita, Kansas)
0.1 Talia (Wichita, Kansas)
1.0 Titan (Atlanta, Georgia)
0.1 Xolani (Wichita, Kansas)
0.1 Omma (Omaha, Nebraska)
0.1 Claire (Omaha, Nebraska)
0.1 Lolly (Omaha, Nebraska)
0.1 Kiki (Omaha, Nebraska)
1.0 Warren (Omaha, Nebraska, deceased)
0.1 Mlilo (Dallas, Texas)
1.0 Tendaji (Dallas, Texas)
0.1 Zola (Dallas, Texas)
0.1 Nolwazi (Fresno, California)
0.1 Amahle (Fresno, California)
That is all I could find. Am I missing one more? It does not match Mr. Ivory's report.
1.0 Mabu (Fresno, California)
1.0 Sdudla (Tampa, Florida)
0.1 Matjetka (Tampa, Florida)
0.1 Mbali (Tampa, Florida)
0.1 Ndula (San Diego, California)
0.1 Litsemba (Tucson, Arizonia)
0.1 Lungile (Tucson, Arizonia)
0.1 Swazi (San Diego, California)
0.1 Umnigandi (San Diego, California)
1.0 Msolo (Atlanta, Georgia)
0.1 Umoya (San Diego, California, deceased)
2016 imports
0.1 Jayei (Omaha, Nebraska)
0.1 Zumberi (Wichita, Kansas)
0.1 Arusi (Wichita, Kansas)
0.1 Simunye (Wichita, Kansas)
0.1 Talia (Wichita, Kansas)
1.0 Titan (Atlanta, Georgia)
0.1 Xolani (Wichita, Kansas)
0.1 Omma (Omaha, Nebraska)
0.1 Claire (Omaha, Nebraska)
0.1 Lolly (Omaha, Nebraska)
0.1 Kiki (Omaha, Nebraska)
1.0 Warren (Omaha, Nebraska, deceased)
0.1 Mlilo (Dallas, Texas)
1.0 Tendaji (Dallas, Texas)
0.1 Zola (Dallas, Texas)
0.1 Nolwazi (Fresno, California)
0.1 Amahle (Fresno, California)
That is all I could find. Am I missing one more? It does not match Mr. Ivory's report.
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Originally, 18 elephants were to be imported to the United States. However, while awaiting approval from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, one female slated for the Dallas Zoo died due to a gastrointestinal medical condition. So, only the remaining 17 were imported.
https://www.kansas.com/news/local/article65247617.html
Essentially yes, we can assume a fair chunk (if not all) are related in some way or another. It's also likely a lot are half siblings (sharing the same sire) or even cousins or relatives, within the same matriline.
2003 import - 19 calves, 1 deceased.
2016 import - 13 calves.
Swaziland got elephant calves (culling ophans) from the Kruger Park in 1994. They may have recieved a few calves in the late 80‘th too. In 1995 the elephant population in Swaziland stood at 20 according to a website I found (https://africanelephantdatabase.org/report/2016/Africa/Southern_Africa/Swaziland). The number slowly increased to 39 in 2002 before the first export to the US, then decreased to 31 in 2007 and grew back to 42 in 2016. I don’t know if that was before or after the last import. More recent data is not available.
It seems to me that the elephants from the 2003 import were animals directly from Kruger, they were too old to have been born in Swaziland. Those from the 2016 import are probably first or second generation offspring of the Kruger animals. It still makes me angry that the zoos selected so many young females without any consideration to keep family groups intact. Considering the small size of the Swaziland population, they must have removed all or almost all young females from the whole population for the 2016 import, wrecking havoc on the family groups. They are most likely all related to some degree. DNA research could tell us more.
It seems to me that the elephants from the 2003 import were animals directly from Kruger, they were too old to have been born in Swaziland. Those from the 2016 import are probably first or second generation offspring of the Kruger animals. It still makes me angry that the zoos selected so many young females without any consideration to keep family groups intact. Considering the small size of the Swaziland population, they must have removed all or almost all young females from the whole population for the 2016 import, wrecking havoc on the family groups. They are most likely all related to some degree. DNA research could tell us more.
I read an article that stated the first arrived in the 80's, but as you mention, the substantial part of the population was then later introduced in the 90's.
It was prior to the US import. I read an article from 2015 (when they had 39 elephants) mentioning that they intended to lower the population to around 20 individuals.
The vast majority of the elephants would likely be first generation imo. One of the elephants at Omaha (Jayei) was estimated to be born in 1993. It's perhaps likely she was a first gen offspring of the 80's transfer from Kruger.
The only younger ones ie. Amahle, Omma and Titan were all second/third generation.
Cow Import demographics (approximate age at import):
Mothers:
Jayei (approx. 23)
Nolwazi (approx. 21)
Simunye (approx. 19)
Middle aged:
Zola (approx. 12)
Mlilo (approx. 12)
Kiki (approx. 12)
Adolescents:
Claire (approx. 7)
Amahle (approx. 6)
Zuberi (approx. 6)
Arusi (approx. 6)
Talia (approx. 6)
Xolani (approx. 6)
Omma (approx. 5)
Lolly (approx. 4)
Fourteen females in total (plus the female that passed in transit) were removed from the population of circa. 40. Presumably that would've been about half the female population at the time. Looking at the demographics of the import we can see that eight females in particular were all around the same age which would have indeed put a huge hole in the herds that still remained - likely consisting of older adult cows and very young calves (it seems three were at least born between 2015 and 2016). Most of the elephants selected for transfer would've likely had their mothers remain back in Swaziland, with the exception of a few.
Pittsburgh zoo is moving Victoria and Zuri over to their ICC complex
Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium Planning Future of Elephant Herd - Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium
Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium Planning Future of Elephant Herd - Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium