North American Asian Elephant Population 2024

Frankie_number_1_fan said:
Are these confirmed/likely imminent transfers or are they just standing reccomendations as of now?
Honestly not all together surprising to hear, but interesting nevertheless. Joy still has a breeding reccomendation with Tucker at Houston, yes?
Click to expand...

With the AZA’s more strict approach to the elephant SSP I would call them imminent transfers. They’re pushing for the SSP to match others meaning if it’s recommended then it better happen unless there’s a good reason not to. But no Tucker no longer has a breeding rec with Joy afaik.
 
Hyak_II said:
So this is something that just occurred to me this morning, but I actually wouldn’t be surprised if this transfer is proceeding a herd split for Houston.

Oklahoma has their new barn opened, and the rest of their new outdoor exhibit space will be completed soon enough as well. They’ve already expressed that they will be housing a breeding herd, and going off of word on the forms here, they will also be seeking a new breeding bull as well.
Click to expand...
It would make sense for this to be the case. Transferring Tucker and/or Baylor out as well is pretty much guaranteed as well to make space for Chuck.

Splitting the herd now will also make sense, as Shanti's youngest son (Nelson) is now very much integrated with the bachelor males. She and her daughter Joy could be sent to Tulsa as you've stated (with their new facilities), to form their new breeding herd. Tulsa is theoretically one of the only logical options at the moment for acquiring new cows.

If Houston don't choose to split their matriarchal herd now, there could be repercussions down the line so I'm hopeful this is being given priority at the moment. They certainly can't afford to breed six females at once in the current complex.
 
Jambo said:
It would make sense for this to be the case. Transferring Tucker and/or Baylor out as well is pretty much guaranteed as well to make space for Chuck.

Splitting the herd now will also make sense, as Shanti's youngest son (Nelson) is now very much integrated with the bachelor males. She and her daughter Joy could be sent to Tulsa as you've stated (with their new facilities), to form their new breeding herd. Tulsa is theoretically one of the only logical options at the moment for acquiring new cows.

If Houston don't choose to split their matriarchal herd now, there could be repercussions down the line so I'm hopeful this is being given priority at the moment. They certainly can't afford to breed six females at once in the current complex.
Click to expand...
LA is also able to house additional cows iirc. Other than that there's not really any other facilities that could bring in new breeding animals that Im remembering at the moment.
 
Frankie_number_1_fan said:
LA is also able to house additional cows iirc. Other than that there's not really any other facilities that could bring in new breeding animals that Im remembering at the moment.
Click to expand...
Yes, the Los Angeles Zoo could really use some new female Asian elephants. The zoo is down to only one male and female -- the male is a good candidate for breeding, but I believe the current female is too old. The zoo is also currently improving the elephant habitat by building shade structures.
 
E Maximus said:
With the AZA’s more strict approach to the elephant SSP I would call them imminent transfers. They’re pushing for the SSP to match others meaning if it’s recommended then it better happen unless there’s a good reason not to. But no Tucker no longer has a breeding rec with Joy afaik.
Click to expand...
Are you able to disclose if these are bachelor transfers or breeding facility transfers? Or is that too descriptive.
 
As can be seen in public records released in late March of this year, 1.1 calves were born in 2023 at White Oak named Sammy (1.0) and Kumari (0.1). The parents of both calves were not listed, but as Casey is the only male with a breeding reccomendation at the facility, it is likely he is the sire.

On the same doccument, it can now be confirmed that the following elephants no longer reside at Ringling and now reside at White Oak: Cora, Siam, Banko, Baby, Alana, Icky II, Vance, Sally, Shirley, Asia, Emma, Osgood, Gunther, P.T., Irvin, and Barack.

(Note that this confirms Shirley did not in fact pass away in 2016, and is alive as of 2023!)
 
Frankie_number_1_fan said:
As can be seen in public records released in late March of this year, 1.1 calves were born in 2023 at White Oak named Sammy (1.0) and Kumari (0.1). The parents of both calves were not listed, but as Casey is the only male with a breeding reccomendation at the facility, it is likely he is the sire.

On the same doccument, it can now be confirmed that the following elephants no longer reside at Ringling and now reside at White Oak: Cora, Siam, Banko, Baby, Alana, Icky II, Vance, Sally, Shirley, Asia, Emma, Osgood, Gunther, P.T., Irvin, and Barack.

(Note that this confirms Shirley did not in fact pass away in 2016, and is alive as of 2023!)
Click to expand...

Is their a link to those public records?
 
Frankie_number_1_fan said:
Pages 252 and 253 of the linked doccument lists the current elephants at White Oak.
Regulations.gov
Click to expand...

Something else I saw VERY interesting in the document you shared, it said White Oak was receiving Tucker from the Houston Zoo to be trained for AI but he was NOT recommended to breed. So does that mean he’s actually getting transferred to White Oak himself or are they just using him as a sperm donor to white oak? It’s on page 253.
 
John Marchwick said:
Something else I saw VERY interesting in the document you shared, it said White Oak was receiving Tucker from the Houston Zoo to be trained for AI but he was NOT recommended to breed. So does that mean he’s actually getting transferred to White Oak himself or are they just using him as a sperm donor to white oak? It’s on page 253.
Click to expand...
All asian elephant bulls in the SSP, save for a few, are reccomended to be trained for AI. Given that it does not clarify any breeding partners for Tucker, he's likely planned to join what Im assuming is a bachelor herd there with the other Ringling males.
 
Frankie_number_1_fan said:
All asian elephant bulls in the SSP, save for a few, are reccomended to be trained for AI. Given that it does not clarify any breeding partners for Tucker, he's likely planned to join what Im assuming is a bachelor herd there with the other Ringling males.
Click to expand...

Casey is the only male at White Oak currently… at least according to @E Maximus

1.0 Casey (WILD × WILD) 1971.00.00
0.1 Tonka (Hugo or Vance × Minyak) 1983.08.23
0.1 Luna (Hugo or Vance × Josky) 1984.01.01
0.1 Juliette (Pete × Icky) 1992.12.30
0.1 Bonnie (Vance × Sid) 1994.10.29
0.1 Kelly Ann (Vance × Sally) 1996.01.01
0.1 Angelica (Charlie × Icky) 1997.06.23
0.1 Sara (Charlie × Icky) 2001.04.16
0.1 Asha (Charlie × Alana) 2002.03.05
0.1 Aree (Charlie × Mala) 2005.04.21
0.1 Mable (Romeo × Shirley) 2006.04.06
0.1 April (Charlie × Alana) 2010.04.03
0.1 Piper (Romeo × Shirley) 2012.08.13
0.1 Masala (Casey x Mable) 2021.08.25
0.1 Tikka (Casey x Aree) 2022.06.14

Total: 1.14.0 (15)
 
John Marchwick said:
Casey is the only male at White Oak currently…
Click to expand...
There are several bulls at White Oak currently, only Casey is being used for breeding. Vance, Gunther, Osgood, PT, Irvin and Barack are the others there.
As I stated earlier, this doccument now shows that there are more elephants there than previously known, including more former ringling cows.
 
Frankie_number_1_fan said:
As can be seen in public records released in late March of this year, 1.1 calves were born in 2023 at White Oak named Sammy (1.0) and Kumari (0.1). The parents of both calves were not listed, but as Casey is the only male with a breeding reccomendation at the facility, it is likely he is the sire.

On the same doccument, it can now be confirmed that the following elephants no longer reside at Ringling and now reside at White Oak: Cora, Siam, Banko, Baby, Alana, Icky II, Vance, Sally, Shirley, Asia, Emma, Osgood, Gunther, P.T., Irvin, and Barack.

(Note that this confirms Shirley did not in fact pass away in 2016, and is alive as of 2023!)
Click to expand...
Thank you so much @Frankie_number_1_fan for finding this information! As someone who has been trying to track down the exact location of the Ringling herd for quite some time this document is an incredible find. I also find it interesting that Everland is mentioned on there for AI meaning that Kosik or Udara could be used in the future for breeding in the US. I myself don't know the answer but does anyone know if elephant semen can be frozen to be transported similar to rhinoceros or does it need to be a fresh sample in order for a success to occur?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top