Woburn Safari Park Elephant pregnancy

It is good news, but I am still intrigued as to why neither of the original females at Woburn has become pregnant before now.

Also by my maths another 10 months brings her to June 2012?:confused:
 
Fantastic news the webcam suggests that Yu Zin and Raja are together and the other two females together so they may want two calves!
 
I would think they want as many calves as they can get. Some years ago they had plans for an Elephant complex housig twenty elephants- that never happened but I think the existing new building may be able to house a larger number than the 4 they currently have.
 
Pertinax said:
It is good news, but I am still intrigued as to why neither of the original females at Woburn has become pregnant before now.

Also by my maths another 10 months brings her to June 2012?:confused:
Click to expand...

Maybe something about the herd structure was changed by the arrival of Yu Zin last year? Perhaps this triggered sexual behaviour in the bull, having previously only been with two females he had grown up with from infancy? I have long wondered if this is a similar situation at West Midlands, where all 3 remaining elephants have grown up together since arriving as very young animals.
 
I guess Damini did not get pregnant sooner because Raja was not mating with her nor with Chandrika. The pregnancy now is the result of AI which they "happen" to forget to mention in the article.
 
The AI information explains a lot.;)

I agree with Johnstoni- I don't think he's interested in his two longterm companions because he's over-familiar with them. I don't know if he's shown any interest in the more recently-arrived female though.

I think its a case where natural mating would quite probably occur with unfamiliar females?
 
Please read the article and Pertinax post. The semen was from Woburn`s own bull, Raja.
 
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