Asian Elephants in Europe 2022

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Tun Kai and Suki are already cycled ? This is very surprising given their young age, sexual maturity at these ages is very rare.
Not that rare actually. Quite a few females within the European population have given birth as young as 6 years old (a very recent example is Omysha from Zurich) meaning they conceived at about the age of 4 which is how old both Suki and Tun Kai are. Like ZCChip stated, the better nutrition and diets that are given to captive animals has lead to much younger ages at which individuals reach sexual maturity in many species.
 
Tun Kai and Suki are already cycled ? This is very surprising given their young age, sexual maturity at these ages is very rare.

It's also very surprising that the transport training has already started while no recommendations from the EEP have been issued.

They are four and five, so not surprising as for some females, this is when their first cycle occurs.

Plackendael may believe they have an option elsewhere for Kanvar that the EEP just hasn't recommended yet, or it could simply just be that the EEP hasn't located a suitable destiantion for him yet but do want to transfer him elsewhere. Hopefully his transfer will open up doors for Planckendael to recieve a proven bull
 
It’s a variety of issues at Plankendael. Kanvar does not need any “lessons” from an older bull. He both knows what to do, and has the desire to breed cows. He regularly mounts and breeds with Yu Yu Yin, Suki, and Tun Kai, although obviously nothing comes of these matings.

For whatever reason though, Kai Mook and May Tagu will not allow him to successfully breed them, generally in the form of them simply not stopping walking for Kanvar to properly mount them.

Kanvar is the largest elephant at Plankendael, in both height and weight. He’s not huge, but definitely the biggest by a noticeable degree. The issue likely stems more from a lack of assertiveness from Kanvar. He seems to mostly just gently chase the cows around when he wants to breed, which apparently isn’t working for the two breeding cows.

Also in regards to transferring, as mentioned, Kanvar is EXTREMELY genetically valuable, he is essentially a founder, the only living descendant from two wild caught parents. May Tagu is also fairly genetically valuable as well. The other three girls are all of only moderate genetic value through their well represented sires sides, but it’s still a priority to breed from them to help flesh out their herd structure. Ultimately it’s just wasting Kanvar‘s genetic value by retaining him at Plankendael, until he sires some offspring there’s always a risk he could potentially die without having any living descendants, so it’s best to get him off to a herd that will accept his more gentle approach to the cows. Personally I think Pairi Daiza would be a good place for him to go, they can send Po Chin off to bachelor holding, and in his place Kanvar will have 9 cows of assorted ages to breed with, all of which barring the few youngest having extensive experience with births in a herd setting.

Just to add on info. There were problems with Kanvar being accepted into the herd because the functional matriarch Yu Yu Yin has trouble with him being 'afraid' of him. So they had to alternate keeping Yu Yu Yin or Kanvar with the herd. As well as May Tagu not being a great mother. If Yu Yu Yin did not help raise Suki, she probably would have struggled.
So Planckendael asked the EEP that Kai Mook could get pregnant before May Tagu hoping she would be a better mother next time. The EEP quickly responded positively to the request after initially suggesting to only let May Tagu get pregnant.

Another problem was the desynchronization of the cows cycles pushing Kanvar in permanent must. On my visit at the start of July after being in isolation for some time Kanvar was still in must. However on my last visit 7th September Kanvar was with the herd and not in must.

Kanvar is by no account a small bull and is the largest elephant at Planckendael no contest. However the Planckendael cows are pretty large and Kai mook has small tushes which are kinda 'unique'. May Tagu is also pretty bold especially when it comes to food. Kai Mook is more calm and is taking a more matriarchal role in the herd lately. So I could imagine them not allowing breeding as easily.(I've not observed frequent enough but did see some mounting attempts sporadically).

From what I heard of multiple keepers from Planckendael as well as the Antwerp zoo Kanvar is an amazing bull to work with.

Personally I'm not a huge fan of Pairi Daiza for multiple reasons. They have a great collection but are not well with animal welfare in general.
The Elephants were still being treated in full contact on my last visit with Po Chin as well (End of December 2021).
Chaining up of elephants has happened until recent(No year found but I remember a Tv show about the park where this was showed first episode aired in 2017). They also did elephant shows until recently.(At least until 2017)
They also ignored EEP recommendations for breeding.
So I hope Kanvar does not move there.
Also I think other parks have potentially more interesting herds to breed with genetically.
 
Yes, Donna's mother and an invaluable source of expereince and support to her daughter.:):)

Ngl, I always assumed female elephants started cycling around 10-12

In the wild maybe. 14 seems the be the norm for African elephants. I am not sure about the wild Asians.

Wild African elephants tend to start cycling at ages 11 or 12 and have their first calves at 13 or 14, while Asian tend to be a bit later or around the same ages of 13 and 14

In captivity, female Asian elephants have begun cycling as early as four years of age. As with all mammals, females in captivity typically reproduce (or cycle) at younger ages than their wild counterparts due to favourable conditions including optimium nutrition.
 
With this in mind, wouldn't it still be best to introduce young cows to a bull when they're at the age they'd cycle in the wild? I ask because I feel like it's be better to have a cow breed when she's physically capable of mating and carrying a calf to term.
 
With this in mind, wouldn't it still be best to introduce young cows to a bull when they're at the age they'd cycle in the wild? I ask because I feel like it's be better to have a cow breed when she's physically capable of mating and carrying a calf to term.
In some species, like GOHR for example, captive females who have calves at very young ages experience many birth complications so it's advised that zoos wait till they're a bit older to breed them. However, most young female elephants are capable of carrying a calf to term (that's not to say that's always true, there have been a few instances of miscarriages and such in young cows). It's just that many young cows aren't experienced enough with calves and may reject the calf or require lots of assistance from older cows in the herd.

Personally, I think 10-12 is the perfect age for a captive cow to have her first calf but if she grows up in a zoo where many calves are being born (Houston or Pairi Daiza, for example) and she is exposed to that maternal care, then there should be no problem if she has her first calf at a slightly younger age.
 
Lovely news that the first of the two Leipzig births has gone well so far! Fingers crossed Thuza’s birth goes similarly smoothly.

Very disappointing news it’s a bull though :/ Especially for Mekong’s line, of his 7 living offspring and 2 total grand offspring to date, all have been male except for 1. Hopefully the next will be a little cow.
 
Good news, it’s just been announced that in addition to Pantha (who just gave birth) and Thuza (who is due any time), both Kewa and Rani at Leipzig are pregnant as well! The two cows are both due in mid 2023.

It’s nice to see that after SO many years of trying a large combination of different proven bulls and cows with very minimal success, that Leipzig is finally seeing the results they have always wanted, a (generally) cohesive herd that is getting reliable breeding results. Fingers crossed all goes well for the mothers to be, and it’s little cows calves for all three of them! (Although knowing how things usually are, it’ll be a group of four little bulls, of course).
 
Good news, it’s just been announced that in addition to Pantha (who just gave birth) and Thuza (who is due any time), both Kewa and Rani at Leipzig are pregnant as well! The two cows are both due in mid 2023.

It’s nice to see that after SO many years of trying a large combination of different proven bulls and cows with very minimal success, that Leipzig is finally seeing the results they have always wanted, a (generally) cohesive herd that is getting reliable breeding results. Fingers crossed all goes well for the mothers to be, and it’s little cows calves for all three of them! (Although knowing how things usually are, it’ll be a group of four little bulls, of course).

It would seem Don Chung *and* astra will need be moved to accommodate so many new ones!

(speculation for astra).
 
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Good news, it’s just been announced that in addition to Pantha (who just gave birth) and Thuza (who is due any time), both Kewa and Rani at Leipzig are pregnant as well! The two cows are both due in mid 2023.

It’s nice to see that after SO many years of trying a large combination of different proven bulls and cows with very minimal success, that Leipzig is finally seeing the results they have always wanted, a (generally) cohesive herd that is getting reliable breeding results. Fingers crossed all goes well for the mothers to be, and it’s little cows calves for all three of them! (Although knowing how things usually are, it’ll be a group of four little bulls, of course).
I knew Kewa looked rounder then normal by looking at more recent pictures and I had speculated that she was pregnant as well and a calf through her and Voi Nam would be quite genetically valuable, and great news to hear that Rani is pregnant as well hopefully she has a daughter to continue her mother's line.
 
Ratna never had a calf and is most likely too old now. So I dont think she will ever reproduce. But there is also Thai how is a proven breeder in Zurich and will most likely sire more offspring who will hopefully survive.

By the way, Astra will probably stay in Leipzig because she is closely bonded with Kewa. Sending her away would not free up that much space. If all 3 calves are female Leipzig will have to move a female with calf or two in longterm, but for the next years they should be ok space-wise.
 
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