North American African Elephant Population 2025

The baby boom continues, Sedgwick County Zoo has welcomed another male calf called Kijani, his mother is Xolani.

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Lovely news for Sedgwick! I don't believe a NA zoo has seen two births so close together before, and to hear both calves were born in a herd setting is amazing. The perfect scenario for these calves and those to follow.

I will say that 2/4 calves being male (thus far) is a touch disappointing, though not unexpected. Especially given the likelihood that Callee is the sire, I hope that this pushes him off breeding for a while. If he is indeed the sire, it puts him at 5 sons and he's not even 30! Fingers crossed for at least one girl this round from Sedgwick!
 
Which Zoos is most likely gonna exprience a matrilineal split and what zoos would want to have elephants or had them in the past and want to bring them back like Nashville and Brookfield?
 
Which Zoos is most likely gonna exprience a matrilineal split and what zoos would want to have elephants or had them in the past and want to bring them back like Nashville and Brookfield?
The most likely candidates for a matrilineal split would be DAK, with Vasha, her daughter Kianga, and her calf due sometime this year or next year, or Omaha with Jayei, her two daughters, and grandson
 
The most likely candidates for a matrilineal split would be DAK, with Vasha, her daughter Kianga, and her calf due sometime this year or next year, or Omaha with Jayei, her two daughters, and grandson
And which zoos do you think who would want to have elephants or have had them in the past and want to bring them back?
 
The most likely candidates for a matrilineal split would be DAK, with Vasha, her daughter Kianga, and her calf due sometime this year or next year, or Omaha with Jayei, her two daughters, and grandson
Realistically if Omaha were to split the herd, it would be two of the other females and their calves (most likely Claire and Lolly) versus Jayei's multigenerational matriline. Sedgwick likely would send out a pair of females and their calves at a later date as well.
 
Brookfield's looking to bring them back as part of the next phase of their Next Century Plan, other than that I'm not entirely sure what other zoos would be looking to bring *back* elephants.
Knoxville is very interested in bringing them back last I'd heard, but in a bachelor setting versus a breeding one. Louisville and Oakland have also bounced around the idea of bringing back elephants as well, but I wouldn't hold my breath on them until they make an official announcement.
 
Knoxville is very interested in bringing them back last I'd heard, but in a bachelor setting versus a breeding one. Louisville and Oakland have also bounced around the idea of bringing back elephants as well, but I wouldn't hold my breath on them until they make an official announcement.

Louisville is my local zoo. So, I've seen their elephant enclosure firsthand.

They would need to totally overhaul it, if not completely scrap the old exhibit altogether, if they ever wanted to hold elephants again.

Hell, they'd probably need to redo the entire section of the zoo to even be able to fit a modern elephant complex in the first place. There simply isn't room to expand the current exhibit otherwise.
 
Knoxville is very interested in bringing them back last I'd heard, but in a bachelor setting versus a breeding one. Louisville and Oakland have also bounced around the idea of bringing back elephants as well, but I wouldn't hold my breath on them until they make an official announcement.
I'm kinda going back and forth on whether I believe Oakland's bringing them back, but I'm not holding my breath. On the one hand, they've had a reputation for being really difficult to work with especially when the plan initially was to bring companion animals to live alongside Osh, and they've teased that they would bring a "new species" but haven't decided on which. (Occam's Razor says rhinos, but we'll let time be the judge on that). Regardless, the facility'd have to be renovated. Plus, when they've stated that *6* acres wasn't enough for elephants, that emboldened IDA and their ilk to move the goalposts even further when it came to their fanatical opposition. The foldable signs adjoining Osh's habitat also stated that his departure would be their chance to "...reaffirm the Zoo's commitment even without them living onsite". That being said, the only other thing I've seen that indicated the zoo had any further interest in elephants was their 2025-2027 Conservation Strategic Plan highlighting all but one being species that they have onsite. African Lion, American Bison, Black-Crowned Night Heron, Chimpanzee, California Condor, African Elephant, Jaguar, California Mountain Lion, Gray Wolf and Native Yellow-Legged Frog.
 
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I'm kinda going back and forth on whether I believe Oakland's bringing them back, but I'm not holding my breath. On the one hand, they've had a reputation for being really difficult to work with especially when the plan initially was to bring companion animals to live alongside Osh, and they've teased that they would bring a "new species" but haven't decided on which. (Occam's Razor says rhinos, but we'll let time be the judge on that). Regardless, the facility'd have to be renovated. Plus, when they've stated that *6* acres wasn't enough for elephants, that emboldened IDA and their ilk to move the goalposts even further when it came to their fanatical opposition. The foldable signs adjoining Osh's habitat also stated that his departure would be their chance to "...reaffirm the Zoo's commitment even without them living onsite". That being said, the only other thing I've seen that indicated the zoo had any further interest in elephants was their 2025-2027 Conservation Strategic Plan highlighting all but one being species that they have onsite. African Lion, American Bison, Black-Crowned Night Heron, Chimpanzee, California Condor, African Elephant, Jaguar, California Mountain Lion, Gray Wolf and Native Yellow-Legged Frog.
I personally think California is pretty much "screwed up" ... when it comes to zoos and a discourse about elephants or beluga/orca whales or rescueing fluffy white tigers and lions over relevant species conservation concerns. It seems rationale for good measure may have taken a back seat to AW and HSUS and what they think Nature should look like.
 
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I'm kinda going back and forth on whether I believe Oakland's bringing them back, but I'm not holding my breath. On the one hand, they've had a reputation for being really difficult to work with especially when the plan initially was to bring companion animals to live alongside Osh, and they've teased that they would bring a "new species" but haven't decided on which. (Occam's Razor says rhinos, but we'll let time be the judge on that). Regardless, the facility'd have to be renovated. Plus, when they've stated that *6* acres wasn't enough for elephants, that emboldened IDA and their ilk to move the goalposts even further when it came to their fanatical opposition. The foldable signs adjoining Osh's habitat also stated that his departure would be their chance to "...reaffirm the Zoo's commitment even without them living onsite". That being said, the only other thing I've seen that indicated the zoo had any further interest in elephants was their 2025-2027 Conservation Strategic Plan highlighting all but one being species that they have onsite. African Lion, American Bison, Black-Crowned Night Heron, Chimpanzee, California Condor, African Elephant, Jaguar, California Mountain Lion, Gray Wolf and Native Yellow-Legged Frog.

Another problem with Oakland is that they have always been known to lean towards the animal rights extremists. They have a whole page on their website, bragging about how they work with PETA and Humane World for Animals. (Formerly HSUS) That will just put more roadblocks for them, if they really move forward, eventually restarting their program.

Both quotes are from their "Animal Welfare" page as well as their "Battle Animal Exploitation" page on the Oakland Zoo's website.

"Working closely with remarkable organizations like PETA and the Humane Society of the United States, Oakland Zoo plays a critical role in rescuing captive bears, lions, tigers, and other animals living in inhumane condition."

"...Oakland Zoo has long prioritized common sense and welfare, and PETA looks forward to continued collaboration on improving the welfare of captive wildlife across the U.S."

Brittany Peet, Esq., Director, Captive Animal Law Enforcement

PETA Foundation
 
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Another problem with Oakland is that they have always been known to lean towards the animal rights extremists. They have a whole page on their website, bragging about how they work with PETA and Humane World for Animals. (Formerly HSUS) That will just put more roadblocks for them, if they really move forward, eventually restarting their program.

Both quotes are from their "Animal Welfare" page as well as their "Battle Animal Exploitation" page on the Oakland Zoo's website.

"Working closely with remarkable organizations like PETA and the Humane Society of the United States, Oakland Zoo plays a critical role in rescuing captive bears, lions, tigers, and other animals living in inhumane condition."

"...Oakland Zoo has long prioritized common sense and welfare, and PETA looks forward to continued collaboration on improving the welfare of captive wildlife across the U.S."

Brittany Peet, Esq., Director, Captive Animal Law Enforcement

PETA Foundation
Oh yeah, I really don't think any responsible zoo should be in cahoots with these people at all.

I'm already not loving the fact that Dan Ashe came from an HSUS background and probably views zoos as a "necessary evil" but when hands are shaken with PETA, there needs to be an objection
 
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