Radza was born in 1966 in Mysore, India, in the wild. He was captured in 1967, and transported to the zoo of Stuttgart, Germany, in 1968. In 1972 he was sold to the circus of Moscow, and two years later to Riga Zoo, where he lived until October 2003. Riga could not take care for him anymore. Radza and a female called Rupa went both to The Netherlands. Rupa to Burgers Zoo in Arnhem, and Radza to Emmen Zoo.
He is one of the largest Asian elephants of Europe. His weight is 7,200 kilograms (normall weight of a bull is 5-6000 kilograms), and he is 3.15 meters tall. He has the longest tusks ever seen.
But he is a very gentle and friendly bull. He has his own enclosure in Emmen and to enter it he must go downstairs, and that is what he doesn't want to do. So the keepers let him stay within the herd and he is doing fine. The last four calfs were born while Radza was present in the barn!
Radza is the most friendly and gentle elephant bull I know. Het is not aggresive at all. He likes to play with his sons, and normally walks slowly through the enclosure or is lying down for a nap.
