Colchester Zoo Colchester Zoo Elephant Program

The Hedgehog

The Hedgehog

Well-Known Member
Any news on the situation regarding Colchesters African Elephant breeding program. I know a few months ago there was discussion regarding Tembo departing for pastures new or the possible arrival of some breeding female (cow) elephants? Even Ai using the sperm from Tembos son Jambo was mentioned. However it's all gone quiet so now I'm really not sure what's happening.
 
The Hedgehog said:
Any updates on Colchesters African Elephant breeding program ,any elephant arrivals or departures planned for 2020?
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I would also be interested in this question. I heard some plans to leave Tembo to Beauval. But this should have been done last summer, so it is probably canceled.
 
The Hedgehog said:
Any updates on Colchesters African Elephant breeding program ,any elephant arrivals or departures planned for 2020?
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This question has been asked many times and currently I suspect the answer is the same! There is no current breeding programme for elephants at Colchester, all the cows are unable to breed and have been that way for some time!!
 
Pipaluk can't Colchester swap females with another animal collection,seeming the cow elephants at Colchester have become non reproductive, surely the sensible option would be to relocate Tembo to a breeding heard. Breeding African Elephants is paramount to the long term sustainably of this critically endangered species. I think while Tembo s still fertile the responsible decision would be to relocate him to a breeding heard.In my opinion it seems completely ridiculous to have a perfectly fertile breeding bull elephant like Tembo in a heard with females that aren't even fertile anymore.
 
The Hedgehog said:
Pipaluk can't Colchester swap females with another animal collection,seeming the cow elephants at Colchester have become non reproductive, surely the sensible option would be to relocate Tembo to a breeding heard. Breeding African Elephants is paramount to the long term sustainably of this critically endangered species. I think while Tembo s still fertile the responsible decision would be to relocate him to a breeding heard.In my opinion it seems completely ridiculous to have a perfectly fertile breeding bull elephant like Tembo in a heard with females that aren't even fertile anymore.
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Not to stoke the speculation fire, as I rarely visit Colchester so don't really know what's going on there, but from what I remember Tembo is older than at least two of the females at the zoo. I'm sure that if a) his genes were massively needed in the breeding programme or b) there was another zoo that could take or wanted him that the studbook would try and facilitate a move. But I wouldn't go calling it completely ridiculous as none of us know the full story, and none of us know what exactly is going on at Colchester or with the studbook....so there may be a reason he is being kept at the zoo for the time-being.
 
Tembo was born in Zambia in 1983 so potentially very important genetically. Doubt he will move although he needs to to be given a chance to carry on representing his genes.
I agree a new batch of females is needed but this will probably never happen until all have passed
 
ShonenJake13 said:
Not to stoke the speculation fire, as I rarely visit Colchester so don't really know what's going on there, but from what I remember Tembo is older than at least two of the females at the zoo. I'm sure that if a) his genes were massively needed in the breeding programme or b) there was another zoo that could take or wanted him that the studbook would try and facilitate a move. But I wouldn't go calling it completely ridiculous as none of us know the full story, and none of us know what exactly is going on at Colchester or with the studbook....so there may be a reason he is being kept at the zoo for the time-being.
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This is a dead end and Colchester Zoo need to face up to reality and move Tembo to a collection where he can rebreed!
 
Embu said:
Tembo was born in Zambia in 1983 so potentially very important genetically. Doubt he will move although he needs to to be given a chance to carry on representing his genes.
I agree a new batch of females is needed but this will probably never happen until all have passed
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Kifaru Bwana said:
This is a dead end and Colchester Zoo need to face up to reality and move Tembo to a collection where he can rebreed!
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Yes, he is a very important bull, his genes are not very represented. And many zoos are looking for bulls. Great would be his move to Vienna, Beauval or Sóstó. It is also possible to exchange bulls with Beekse Bergen, Lissabon or Valencia. But we can't wait for the current cows in Colchester die, because cows usually live in the zoo longer than bulls, and that would be too late.
 
Elephantelephant said:
Yes, he is a very important bull, his genes are not very represented.
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Did Tembo ever breed naturally? I seem to remember his calves at Colchester were the product of AI or is that not correct?

A UK zoo that may need a bull sometime soon is West Midlands Safari Park who I believe are soon to upgrade their facility in order to take on a bigger group. But again that will not be immediate.
 
Pertinax Tembos only naturally sired offspring was Jambo who was born in 2002\4. Jambo was born to the former Chipperfeld cow Rosa who was euthanized in 2007 due to major internal problems with her reproductive organs. However Tembo sired a male calf called Kitto with the elephant cow Tanya.Kito moved to Dvur Kowe zoo in the Cheque Republic where he passed away about three years ago. This birth was achieved by AI. Tembo sired another AI calf called Abu but I believe that he also passed away. Jambo is I believe the sole surviving offspring. Due to this I think that Tembo should depart Colchester bound for a breeding heard!
 
Pertinax said:
Did Tembo ever breed naturally? I seem to remember his calves at Colchester were the product of AI or is that not correct?

A UK zoo that may need a bull sometime soon is West Midlands Safari Park who I believe are soon to upgrade their facility in order to take on a bigger group. But again that will not be immediate.
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Yes, West Midlands would really need a bull, but first he must expand his facility to receive it. Then Five can be breed naturally. In the meantime, he should go away as soon as possible.

The Hedgehog said:
Pertinax Tembos only naturally sired offspring was Jambo who was born in 2002\4. Jambo was born to the former Chipperfeld cow Rosa who was euthanized in 2007 due to major internal problems with her reproductive organs. However Tembo sired a male calf called Kitto with the elephant cow Tanya.Kito moved to Dvur Kowe zoo in the Cheque Republic where he passed away about three years ago. This birth was achieved by AI. Tembo sired another AI calf called Abu but I believe that he also passed away. Jambo is I believe the sole surviving offspring. Due to this I think that Tembo should depart Colchester bound for a breeding heard!
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Tembo actually had a total of 8 offspring. Two of them were born outside Colchester. The first offspring was Abu (2001) born in Vienna using AI. He is not dead, but is a very successful breeding bull now living in Halle, Germany, where he fathered 6 offspring! Unfortunately they are only 3 alive, 2 were killed by their mother Bibi right after birth and one was born dead (I mean abortion?). He will soon be born the seventh descendant in Wuppertal, who will be his first descendant created by AI. Kito (also AI) left no offspring. Jambo, which was born naturally, is still without offspring. Thabo Umasai in Dresden was also created by AI, but died at age 11 in Pittsburgh in USA. Tembo also had four more offspring from Colchester cow Zola, but they were all born dead (some abortion?).
 
I don't know if you already know that, but Jambo from Valencia should move because of disputes with Matla's dominant cow. However I have seen fresh pictures from Valencia and it seems to me that one cow is somehow very wide that she would be pregnant ??? !! That would mean success in breeding that has been waiting for a long time. But I do not know which she might be, because the cows in Valencia seem to me except for Manti almost the same.
 
The calf may not have been sired by Jambo as Kibo the former breeding bull elephant from Boras also resides at Bioparc Valencia.
 
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