The Cincinnati Zoo is very much committed to their elephant program but the facility requires renovations to enlarge the outdoor enclosures, to revamp the indoor space, and to enable the acquisition of breeding elephants.
Even though upgrades were made to the facility, significant renovations are needed to properly accommodate a breeding bull and a matriarchal herd. The habitat is currently divided into two enclosures with one for the females and one for the male. With the construction of the bull exhibit that enabled the Cincinnati Zoo to reestablish the breeding program. Since the bull can only inhabit the male portion of the facility, that restricts where the bull can reside. Rather than isolate the breeding bull to his own exhibit, the Cincinnati Zoo should construct two sizable enclosures that can accommodate a bull and a matriarchal herd. By building these two enclosures that will enable the breeding bull to move around the facility and to interact with the matriarchal herd.
The following pictures are from the Cincinnati Zoo map of the Elephant Reserve.
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Left: The current diagram of the Cincinnati Zoo elephant facility
Right: The personal rendering of the potential renovations to the Cincinnati Zoo elephant facility
Understandably, radical changes cannot be made to the Elephant House as the building is a historic structure but significant renovations are needed to suitably accommodate a matriarchal herd. The addition of sand to the indoor space was a beneficial upgrade but had minimal impact on the facility. The Cincinnati Zoo should take a similar approach as the Smithsonian National Zoo where the building can serve two purposes. For the Cincinnati Zoo Elephant House, half the building should be dedicated to the socialization of elephants as a herd while the other half should be dedicated to the husbandry of elephants. By renovating the Elephant House, that will enable a matriarchal herd to socialize in an indoor setting and the facility to operate in an updated setting.
Even though the Cincinnati Zoo has tried to breed Jati and Sabu for over a decade, nothing has resulted from the breeding attempts. Because Jati has not produced a calf since 1998 with the birth of Ganesh, it would be reasonable to presume that Jati is post reproductive. Due to the circumstances, it would be in the best interest of the Cincinnati Zoo to relocate the current elephants to other institutions and to acquire new breeding elephants. As a recommendation from the thread
North American Asian Elephant Reproduction, Sabu should be transferred to the Albuquerque Zoo to breed with Rozana. As a recommendation from the thread
North American Asian Elephant Institutions, My Thai, Schottzie, and Jati should be transferred to the Woodland Park Zoo to enable the Cincinnati Zoo to develop its breeding program. As a recommendation from the thread
North American Asian Elephant Population, Johnson from African Lion Safari and Alana, Asha, and April from the Center for Elephant Conservation should be transferred to the Cincinnati Zoo to establish a breeding matriarchal herd.
. My opinion on this is obvious, but what I do what to bring up, is the fact that Elephant Reserve will be renovated as well. Unlike the Elephant Trek, there are no specific details as to what this plan will entail. No closeup concept art, no dates revealed. The Master Plan map shows that Sabu's yard, the plaza, and the cow yard will all be combined to make one large exhibit. With a completely new elephant complex along the way, will Elephant Reserve remain home to elephants? I cannot imagine the zoo dedicating the area to any other species mainly due to the historic name and reputation the 'Elephant House' holds.
