Asian Elephants in Europe

lintworm said:
I can't help but think that this is an elegant way in which such outdated practices can be removed from EAZA zoos
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You keep repeating that free contact is outdated. However 90% of worlds elephants in human care, in Asia, are and will continue to be kept in free contact.

Protected contact has clear monetary advantage for the zoo, that is reduces the risk of high compensation if a keeper is killed. However, majority of keepers themselves prefer free contact, because close contact with animals is the primary draw of this profession, despite the well known risk. No risk no fun. It is argued that protected contact is preferable for elephant welfare. However, a competent keeper is seen by elephants as a trusted herd member, so longer contact can actually mean less stress. It is also clear that protected contact carries a medical risk if a calf needs a medical intervention.

Elephants in Pairi Daiza, just discussed, are regularly taken out of their enclosure to bathe. This is an obvious enrichment which would be impossible in protected contact. Elephants in other zoos were taken out to feed on green vegetation, and in one German zoo, to swim in a river crossing the zoo.

So I am agnostic, but I never seen a really good evaluation of strength and weight of pros and cons of both contact types.
 
Young elephant bull Ming Jung should move to England this year (probably to Blackpool). I wonder which young bull comes to Antwerp. Here is a list of potential candidates (They are ordered from most likely to least likely.) :
Rajendra (Cologne), born 2011
Thuya (Mierlo- Dierenrijk), born 2013
Tom (Le Pal), born 2014
Sam (Whipsnade), born 2014
Namsai (Kolmarden), born 2013
Einga-Tha (Emmen), born 2010
Ein She Min Nayone (Emmen), born 2009
Bogor (Madrid), born 2012
Ashoka (Dublin), born 2014
Kavi (Dublin), born 2014
 
Elephant cow Thi Ha Phyu, her daughter Maha Kumari and grandson Jung Bul Kne soon move to Copenhagen. In Copenhagen, it will expand its group of elephants and in Cologne will free space because their equipment is very crowded with elephants.
 
Pertinax said:
Very young to try and breed with large adult females surely?
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I think he definitely knows what they're doing. Timber in Rotterdam, Gajendra in Munich, Po Chin in Pairi Daiza or Thai in Zurich also had their first offspring very soon. Ming Jung is a relatively impressive young bull. In Blackpool (where it is likely to be transported) breeding with Noor Jahan, Tara and in the future also with Esha is desirable.
 
Pertinax said:
Do you know yet if he is the definite choice for Blackpool?
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Going to Blackpool is only speculation so far. However, this is most likely because Blackpool is the only British zoo that lacks an Asian elephant bull and is known to have Blackpool looking for a bull. So far, however, it is only known that he will go to the UK, so each of us can imagine it to be Blackpool.
Pertinax said:
Any idea on time frame?
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Ming Jung should move this autumn.
 
Elephant cow Thi Ha Phyu with daughter Maha Kumari and grandson Jung Bul Kne moved from Cologne to Copenhagen. The transfer was going well and now they are slowly getting used to the new environment. Thi Ha Phyu is likely to become a matriarch.
 
Along with the arrival of new elephants in Kopenhagen, one sad news was also announced. Only one of the two previous elephant cows is able to give birth to a live calf. This means that Surin is unable to produce calves. Why I don't know. Probably some pathological changes or problems with childbirth (like Zola in Colchester). Only Kungrao and Maha Kumari are breeding cows. Thi Ha Phyu are given an anti-pregnancy medication due to the worsening deformity of the forelimbs and therefore also has movement problems (moving limited and very difficult).
 
Bad news from Leipzig. Elephant calf Ben Long is bad. He drinks very little and his liver is not working well. Now she is trying for treatment, but so far it is unsuccessful. That's horrible. After today's report on the abortion of the elephant cow Chendra at the Oregon Zoo and the report on Ben Long, I am totally destroyed.
 
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Elephantelephant said:
Bad news. Ben Long is bad. He drinks very little and his liver is not working well. Now she is trying for treatment, but so far it is unsuccessful. That's horrible. After today's report on the abortion of the elephant cow Chendra at the Oregon Zoo and the report on Ben Long, I am totally destroyed.
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Please mention the zoo where this is and explain who Ben Long is. Otherwise your posts are only understandable to people who know all individual elephants in Europe.
 
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