North American Asian and African Elephant Populations: Discussion and Speculation

Seeing that Columbus is converting one of their elephant yards into their revamped North America region, has there been anything hinting at/discussing an expansion/revamp to their facility in the future? Even if they use the old GOHR yard/indoor space, they really can only hold a few additional individuals before space will get tight. Columbus doesn't have a nessecarily small facility, but it's certianly beginning to show its age between lack of greenery, general design, etc. Which isn't super surprising considering a majority of it is over 20 years old.

I remember reading on the Columbus thread that expanding the facility was going to be the priority after the new North America is completed but I haven't been able to find anything on it myself.
 
John Marchwick said:
https://fb.watch/qcXs8Sb5Qv/?mibextid=cr9u03

Am I seeing things or does the elephant exhibit at the San Diego zoo Safari park looks different than I remember it being…? Also is that VusMusi flirting with Phakamile here with the trunk holding? Cause I’ve noticed they’ve kind of been having a romantic fling going and that’s also what I’ve been hearing too.
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It could be that he's flirting with Phakamile considering he initiates a typical trunk to mouth greeting, though it is unusual given it's usually a subordinate animal that will initiate a greeting and especially unusual that Vus’musi is the one to initiate the greeting.

It looks like Vus’musi is finally coming into his own in his new social standing. With Phakamile he is quite the charmer and she is totally receptive to his advances hopefully both she and Khosi fall pregnant soon. And yes the exhibit had been renovated.
 
John Marchwick said:
https://fb.watch/qcXs8Sb5Qv/?mibextid=cr9u03

Am I seeing things or does the elephant exhibit at the San Diego zoo Safari park looks different than I remember it being…? Also is that VusMusi flirting with Phakamile here with the trunk holding? Cause I’ve noticed they’ve kind of been having a romantic fling going and that’s also what I’ve been hearing too.
Click to expand...
It does look like the area that is being worked, more towards the back end from the looks of it. I’m curious to see the progress on my next visit soon so I’ll report back :)
 
Frankie_number_1_fan said:
Its great to see Animal Kingdom picking back up the pace with their breeding program! While of course more calves from Mac would be wonderful, I do hope that maybe Jabali or Tsavo are able to prove themselves as breeders!
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I would hope that DAK prioritizes breeding Maclean while he is still up to the task. Especially Tsavo there isn't really a reason to prioritize breeding, given how many relatives (including half-brother Callee) he has right now.
 
Neil chace said:
I would hope that DAK prioritizes breeding Maclean while he is still up to the task. Especially Tsavo there isn't really a reason to prioritize breeding, given how many relatives (including half-brother Callee) he has right now.
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It’s honestly hard to say about Disney. I do know Maclean has been the priority in terms of getting to breed on a more active basis. The goal is to get him being like the next Mabu or Jackson (meaning having a lot of offspring). It’s about ensuring he has offspring later carrying on his genetics.

while Tsavo genetically isn’t worth much on his fathers side, I think he’s the only living offspring of his mother Moyo. Also replying to @Jambo, she has been a high priority by Disney to get pregnant and having a calf ASAP. Honestly there’s so many possibilities, I kinda wish they would’ve told us which of the girls are pregnant but I also understand why they wouldn’t want to yet.
 
Neil chace said:
I would hope that DAK prioritizes breeding Maclean while he is still up to the task. Especially Tsavo there isn't really a reason to prioritize breeding, given how many relatives (including half-brother Callee) he has right now.
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Mac does appear to be the main breeding bull at the moment. Which does make sense given not only his genetic value but his age.
There wouldn’t be any hurt in either of the other boys becoming proven though. Despite them not having huge genetic value, it would be far preferable for Mac's daughters to have calves naturally versus through AI.
 
Frankie_number_1_fan said:
Mac does appear to be the main breeding bull at the moment. Which does make sense given not only his genetic value but his age.
There wouldn’t be any hurt in either of the other boys becoming proven though. Despite them not having huge genetic value, it would be far preferable for Mac's daughters to have calves naturally versus through AI.
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I don’t think Disney would just cause currently anyway, there’s no need I don’t think for Disney to move to AI as far as I’m aware
 
John Marchwick said:
It’s honestly hard to say about Disney. I do know Maclean has been the priority in terms of getting to breed on a more active basis. The goal is to get him being like the next Mabu or Jackson (meaning having a lot of offspring). It’s about ensuring he has offspring later carrying on his genetics.
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That's certainly the goal with any wild born animal.:D
John Marchwick said:
while Tsavo genetically isn’t worth much on his fathers side, I think he’s the only living offspring of his mother Moyo. Also replying to @Jambo, she has been a high priority by Disney to get pregnant and having a calf ASAP. Honestly there’s so many possibilities, I kinda wish they would’ve told us which of the girls are pregnant but I also understand why they wouldn’t want to yet.
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Tsavo is indeed Moyo's only surviving offspring, so we can guarantee he'll probably have priority compared to some of Jackson's other offspring.

Vasha's quite unlikely imo due to the gap between her last pregnancy, but the other three are very real possibilities. Donna already has three surviving daughters and recently welcomed her first granddaughter (a lot of girls!). Her matriline is very stable as it seems, so I'd hope they'd give Stella priority breeding now rather than waiting another five or so years till she reaches her late teens.
 
Jambo said:
That's certainly the goal with any wild born animal.:D

Tsavo is indeed Moyo's only surviving offspring, so we can guarantee he'll probably have priority compared to some of Jackson's other offspring.

Vasha's quite unlikely imo due to the gap between her last pregnancy, but the other three are very real possibilities. Donna already has three surviving daughters and recently welcomed her first granddaughter (a lot of girls!). Her matriline is very stable as it seems, so I'd hope they'd give Stella priority breeding now rather than waiting another five or so years till she reaches her late teens.
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I’m just saying I wouldn’t discount Vasha. Look at Renee at Toledo. Everyone thought she wouldn’t have a calf again and she is due to have one any day now. I still remember when conversations were going around (including from myself), when we all thought (well maybe not everyone) that Disney wasn’t planning on breeding elephants again and just letting the value of their herd go to waste. That obviously now isn’t happening, with Nadirah having her first calf and now 2 other girls due in 2025.

as for Stella, this is just a rumor, but I think the plan with her for breeding is they’re gonna start breeding her in 2025. They’re waiting for now cause the other reproductive females are a more higher priority. Which makes sense cause Donna, Kianga, Vasha and Luna are older than Stella, and Donna and Vasha haven’t had calves in a long time whereas Luna and Kianga have never had calves. But I can’t imagine at this point in time Disney wasting Stella in terms of breeding, especially with the direction they’re currently going.
 
My fingers are crossed the pregnant two are Luna and Kianga! Obviously Donna and Vasha are valuable and it wouldn't be terrible for them to have calves again, but Kianga and Luna are of prime age to have their firstborns so my hopes are Disney sees that as a priority. Stella being bred asap hopefully is in the cards as well.
 
Frankie_number_1_fan said:
My fingers are crossed the pregnant two are Luna and Kianga! Obviously Donna and Vasha are valuable and it wouldn't be terrible for them to have calves again, but Kianga and Luna are of prime age to have their firstborns so my hopes are Disney sees that as a priority. Stella being bred asap hopefully is in the cards as well.
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Kianga Disney has been trying to get her pregnant for years going back as far as 2020. Luna I learned a couple months ago was another high priority by Disney to get breeding (an example of this was Luna being with Nadirah during the birth of Corra). So Kianga and Luna have been the high priorities for a while now.

Honestly, any pregnancy from Disney is something to celebrate in my books. And as I stated earlier Stella I would think would be bred ASAP.
 
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