North American Asian and African Elephant Populations: Discussion and Speculation

Something concerning I thought already that Omaha said. According to them Sonny and Eugenia that were born to Kiki and Claire will be the only African Elephants born across any North American institution for this year. Do you think maybe it’s time some zoos switch up their bulls and acquire new ones maybe? There just seems to be horrible luck breeding them in the last decade practically.
 
The lack of births is not caused by bad luck. Its incompetence and egoism and the false believe that female elephants have endless time for reproduction and that AI can fix all problems.

US zoos are making the same mistakes since 30+ years and there are no signs that things are improving. Its really depressing to watch.
 
Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo to welcome a third elephant calf

Well, another African Elephant is confirmed to be pregnant at the Omaha Zoo. Lolly who will be a first time mother when the calf is due in Spring 2023. considering we do not have any confirmed pregnancies in the Asian Elephant population, I’m thrilled to see we have a confirmed pregnancy in the African Elephant population so soon already. I really think it’s only a matter of time before Jayei and her daughter Omma are pregnant!

I’ve been wondering myself when the San Diego Zoo Safari Park is going to get back to those days of having an African Elephant breeding herd of their own. I know they want to but I really wish they would get a new bull in the future. Does anyone have any theories why they’re putting off getting a new bull?

I’m also been speculating other African Elephant females that are pregnant that could be due in 2023. Sedgwick County I’ve been wondering a lot to myself if some of those girls are pregnant and could be due next year. Wishful thinking as well but possibly Fresno Chaffee Zoo as well some of Vui Musi could have gotten Nolwazi and Amahle pregnant but only time will tell.
 
Just a speculation for African Elephant pregnancies in the United States Population

Current confirmed pregnancies
Lolly (Omaha) due in Spring 2023.

Possible pregnancies between 2022-2023
Jayei and her daughter Omma (Omaha).
Simuyine, Zuberi, Arusi, Xolani Talia (Sedgwick).
Nolwazi and her daughter Amahle (Fresno).
Litsemba (Reid Park).

Unlikely but possibly pregnant
Swazi, Umgani, Ndlula, Phakamile, Khosi, Qinisa (San Diego Zoo Safari Park).
Zahara (Indianapolis).
Mililo and Zola (Dallas).
Batir (North Carolina).
Victoria, Angelina and Zuri (Pittsburgh).
Zuri (Hogle Zoo).
Mpuni, Mali, Mbali, and Matjeka (Zoo Tampa).
Kianga, Nadirah, Luna (Disney Animal Kingdom).

Personally, while I am happy about Lolly’s pregnancy nor am I worried about breeding at Omaha in the future, why hasn’t Ajani gotten all of Sedgwick girls pregnant? Why hasn’t Vui Musi gotten Amahle and Nolwazi pregnant? They need to move Louie back to Omaha as he could’ve learn from Callee how to get the job done. They need to bring a bull to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park but they haven’t. Does anyone know who’s in charge of the North American African Elephant population because they should’ve been removed, like yesterday if you’re me.
 
[QUOTE="Does anyone know who’s in charge of the North American African Elephant population because they should’ve been removed, like yesterday if you’re me.[/QUOTE]

Indianapolis zoo is the African SSP contact. There is no African elephant studbook keeper according to AZA. .
 
ZCChip said:
[QUOTE="Does anyone know who’s in charge of the North American African Elephant population because they should’ve been removed, like yesterday if you’re me.
Click to expand...

Indianapolis zoo is the African SSP contact. There is no African elephant studbook keeper according to AZA. .[/QUOTE]

Deborah Olson, Executive Director of the International Elephant Foundation, used to oversee the studbook, although it was last published in 2011 so there's a chance she may not anymore.
 
Jambo said:
Indianapolis zoo is the African SSP contact. There is no African elephant studbook keeper according to AZA. .
Click to expand...

Deborah Olson, Executive Director of the International Elephant Foundation, used to oversee the studbook, although it was last published in 2011 so there's a chance she may not anymore.[/QUOTE]

the stud book keeper is blank on the AZA website. I could not link it on here. But the information is there if anyone can find it. I used to be able to read the stud books online but they have taken them down. I guess to deter the activists.
 
ZCChip said:
I used to be able to read the stud books online but they have taken them down. I guess to deter the activists.
Click to expand...

It’s frustrating when that happens. There’s many studbooks for other species I’d like to view, but as you say, data particularly pertaining to deaths could be useful to the wrong kind of people. Kind of a moot point for elephants though, when in the majority of zoos, only the occasional retained foetus seems to escape public notice. Pregnancies remain high profile events and are well publicised with the exception of a handful of facilities.

The online database for elephants is fantastic. It’s better than a studbook in my opinion, as it links to other elephants (both relatives and those who share the facility). Everything you need, including historical info, is right at your fingertips: Absolut Elephant database, facts and encyclopedia () - Elephant Encyclopedia and Database
 
Zoofan15 said:
It’s frustrating when that happens. There’s many studbooks for other species I’d like to view, but as you say, data particularly pertaining to deaths could be useful to the wrong kind of people. Kind of a moot point for elephants though, when in the majority of zoos, only the occasional retained foetus seems to escape public notice. Pregnancies remain high profile events and are well publicised with the exception of a handful of facilities.

The online database for elephants is fantastic. It’s better than a studbook in my opinion, as it links to other elephants (both relatives and those who share the facility). Everything you need, including historical info, is right at your fingertips: Absolut Elephant database, facts and encyclopedia () - Elephant Encyclopedia and Database
Click to expand...

I agree. That is one of the reasons why I like this site along with the opportunity to interact with other people who are enthusiastic about elephants among other animals in zoos/conservation centers.

elephant.se has been around for a long time. It is fairly accurate. Another nice website is Petra Prager – Elefanten-Fotolexikon - Neuigkeiten. It’s fairly accurate as well. I say fairly accurate because some of the information is not perfect or incomplete. Asianelephant.net was pretty interesting until whoever was doing it stopped keeping it updated. Lots of nice pics on the website especially in UK.

I liked the stud books because it showed the parents and transfers as well deaths.
 
ZCChip said:
I agree. That is one of the reasons why I like this site along with the opportunity to interact with other people who are enthusiastic about elephants among other animals in zoos/conservation centers.

elephant.se has been around for a long time. It is fairly accurate. Another nice website is Petra Prager – Elefanten-Fotolexikon - Neuigkeiten. It’s fairly accurate as well. I say fairly accurate because some of the information is not perfect or incomplete. Asianelephant.net was pretty interesting until whoever was doing it stopped keeping it updated. Lots of nice pics on the website especially in UK.

I liked the stud books because it showed the parents and transfers as well deaths.
Click to expand...

I fully agree. Elephants have a huge following on ZooChat, with many people having a reference to them in their username.

Along with great apes and big cats, elephants seem to be universal in that people’s knowledge of them transcends their home region. There’s people on here from North America and Europe who know Australasia’s elephant population as well as those who live in the region; and vice-versa.

Databases like the one’s we’ve listed surely contribute to familiarising people with the captive populations, as well as the excellent population threads people have compiled on ZooChat.
 
Is it possible the San Diego Zoo Safari Park has been hesitant to bring in a new bull due to EEHV being a problem in recent years in zoos?

think about it, the park still has 2 young calves very susceptible to the virus. To my understanding the park never had a problem with EEHV in their elephant calves so I wonder if they don’t want to bring in a new bull because they don’t want to jeopardize the survival of Zuli and Kaia.
 
John Marchwick said:
Is it possible the San Diego Zoo Safari Park has been hesitant to bring in a new bull due to EEHV being a problem in recent years in zoos?

think about it, the park still has 2 young calves very susceptible to the virus. To my understanding the park never had a problem with EEHV in their elephant calves so I wonder if they don’t want to bring in a new bull because they don’t want to jeopardize the survival of Zuli and Kaia.
Click to expand...

It’s possible, though as @Yassa has stated, it wouldn’t necessarily increase their chances of contacting it. A bull would have significantly less contact with the juveniles (if any), further reducing chances of contracting it directly.

They’ve been lucky to date, so here’s hoping they experience continued success.

Either way, the calves turn four this year, so although they aren’t out of the woods yet, are at least beyond the 1-3 year mark which seems to be the maximum risk zone of the eight year vulnerability stage.
 
I would think from my previous observations with mostly Asians a very small chance bringing a new bull in would cause an EEHV case. It seems that *stress* is a big factor behind the onset of the cases resulting serious illness and death. Such as weaning. Remember most if not all elephants are already affected with it. Like we have the cold or flu virus but our bodies have built immunity to it.
That’s my take on it and I do not have a veterinary degree.
 
ZCChip said:
I would think from my previous observations with mostly Asians a very small chance bringing a new bull in would cause an EEHV case. It seems that *stress* is a big factor behind the onset of the cases resulting serious illness and death. Such as weaning. Remember most if not all elephants are already affected with it. Like we have the cold or flu virus but our bodies have built immunity to it.
That’s my take on it and I do not have a veterinary degree.
Click to expand...

I have also heard this, with the key word being ‘activated’ i.e. the elephant may carry the virus, but it’s activated by stressor factors. An incoming cow would likely cause stress amongst the resident cows, but ideally a bull would be perceived as a positive.
 
Zoofan15 said:
I have also heard this, with the key word being ‘activated’ i.e. the elephant may carry the virus, but it’s activated by stressor factors. An incoming cow would likely cause stress amongst the resident cows, but ideally a bull would be perceived as a positive.
Click to expand...


Yes that makes sense as well.
 
John Marchwick said:
Quebec zoo to move elephants to new home as senator puts forth bill to ban captivity | Globalnews.ca

Could these new elephants come to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park maybe?
Click to expand...
Hmm, some very interesting news. I could see Thandi moving back to Pittsburgh and the older cow, Sarah, being moved to a retirement facility. It would be amazing if the bull, Tutume, is transferred to SDZSP to be their new breeding bull. He’s very genetically valuable as a European import.
 
John Marchwick said:
Quebec zoo to move elephants to new home as senator puts forth bill to ban captivity | Globalnews.ca

Could these new elephants come to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park maybe?
Click to expand...

IndianRhino said:
Hmm, some very interesting news. I could see Thandi moving back to Pittsburgh and the older cow, Sarah, being moved to a retirement facility. It would be amazing if the bull, Tutume, is transferred to SDZSP to be their new breeding bull. He’s very genetically valuable as a European import.
Click to expand...

San Diego are probably happy to maintain the herd of cows they have given they have 5-6 breeding females and there could potentially be some clashes with these females.

The bull however, he’d be ideal!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top