North American Asian Elephant Population 2025

Frankie_number_1_fan said:
It's unrealistic to expect that a vaccine may 100% prevent an animal from getting the virus at all, but it preventing the symptoms from advancing/becoming lethal is just as much of a success!
Click to expand...
Couldn't agree more. Like several human vaccines (influenza and COVID-19), reducing severity of illness or even asymptomatic infection is considered a desired outcome.
I admittedly don't know much about the mutation history of EEHV, but knowing there are several strains, it will be interesting to see how well the vaccine (which at this point is a single strain vaccine) offers protection or reduction in severity of illness of other strains. I wonder if the strain that the Cincinnati boys have is the EEHV1A, which tends to be the more lethal strain in Asian Elephants and the one that this first vaccine was created for.
 
MidwestFan said:
Couldn't agree more. Like several human vaccines (influenza and COVID-19), reducing severity of illness or even asymptomatic infection is considered a desired outcome.
I admittedly don't know much about the mutation history of EEHV, but knowing there are several strains, it will be interesting to see how well the vaccine (which at this point is a single strain vaccine) offers protection or reduction in severity of illness of other strains. I wonder if the strain that the Cincinnati boys have is the EEHV1A, which tends to be the more lethal strain in Asian Elephants and the one that this first vaccine was created for.
Click to expand...
It will be a major step forward ..., but like with any vaccine not 100% fool proof. But, it will offer some if not rather significant protection from the EEHV viri around ....
 
We need a lot more healthy calves who will make it to adulthood moving forward. I think one of the reasons some zoos stopped having elephants in the recent decades is because of the lack available individuals in the population that stemmed from EEHV deaths and poorly breeding animals.
 
I have not been to the Louisville Zoo in person. But from all the pics and vids I saw I know that elephant enclosure is horrendously small and outdated, without even the room for even a small herd. Another point is the AZA has adamantly said that they want to move away from housing both african and asian elephants in the same habitat space, so I'm very glad they finally decided to ditch using that space for elephants, then repurpose it for a more appropriate species. I however find it heartwarming that they're hosting a going away party to celebrate Mikki and Punch's trip to the elephant sanctuary in Tennessee. They doubtlessly will be missed by staff and visitors.
Louisville Zoo invites community to celebrate memories of elephants Mikki, Punch
 
Last edited:
The Horse Boy said:
I have not been to the Louisville Zoo in person. But from all the pics and vids I saw I know that elephant enclosure is horrendously small and outdated, without even the room for even a small herd. Another point is the AZA has adamantly said that they want to move away from housing both african and asian elephants in the same habitat space, so I'm very glad they finally decided to ditch using that space for elephants, then repurpose it for a more appropriate species. I however find it heartwarming that they're hosting a going away party to celebrate Mikki and Punch's trip to the elephant sanctuary in Tennessee. They doubtlessly will be missed by staff and visitors.
Louisville Zoo invites community to celebrate memories of elephants Mikki, Punch
Click to expand...
If like in the case of Louisville Zoo the exclosure and indoor house for elephants is that tiny and none state of the art and the total space is not what is required in today's age ..., than it is absolutely fine the space will get repurposed for either another pachyderm species requiring less space or an alltogether totally new dual purpose use or new animal exhibit.
 
Kifaru Bwana said:
If like in the case of Louisville Zoo the exclosure and indoor house for elephants is that tiny and none state of the art and the total space is not what is required in today's age ..., than it is absolutely fine the space will get repurposed for either another pachyderm species requiring less space or an alltogether totally new dual purpose use or new animal exhibit.
Click to expand...
I know they said they will reuse it for their white rhinos. Rhinos don't seem to have large habitat requirements the way elephants do as they don’t travel large distances and form large social units in the wild (i think abt quarter to half an acre should be the bare minimum for rhino housing). Because of all that I think reusing small outdated elephant facilities for rhinos has been the general AZA trend over time.

However, Louisville said they will consider making brand new elephant habitat with the intention of multigenerational groups and breeding bulls ,at least, and an obv much larger habitat space. I can't help but feel skeptical that they could pull of that endeavor when they're prioritizing on working on the much anticipated Kentucky Trails area opening in a year or two at least, and the multimillion dollar cost of building new elephant exhibits in this day and age. I can also understand they'd have to tear down a lot of current exhibit spaces -within the African area particularly- to make way for housing them again. But even housing Asians would not be out of the discussion just yet. The point is that i'm really unsure the zoo has room within the current grounds to house elephants again but it's nice to know them coming back is a possibility even if it could be years from now.
 
Last edited:
Frankie_number_1_fan said:
Not sure I've seen this here yet or how long this has been the case, but Sabu is now able to be with the Dublin girls alongside their calves in the same space!
I visited today and he was in with all of the Dublin herd minus Kabir, who was off-exhibit with Jati. It seems things are progressing well for Cincinnati!
Click to expand...
That's probably a sign that he's interested in breeding the Dublin cows. Sabu IS a proven breeders since Columbus confirmed he impregnated a couple cows there thru natural breeding iirc before he moved back to Cincy.
 
Last edited:
The Horse Boy said:
That's probably a sign that he's interested in breeding the Dublin cows. Sabu IS a proven breeders since Columbus confirmed he impregnated a couple cows there thru natural breeding iirc before he moved back to Cincy.
Click to expand...
Moreso a positive sign from the Dublin cows. When they first began introductions, SheRa and Anak reacted negatively to Sabu being around them and their calves in the same space. Thus they've operated on a rotation schedule with Sabu spending time with the boys, Sabu spending time with Jati and Sabu spending time with the Dublin girls. It's entirely possible he's already bred them before this point as he did get the job done fairly quickly at Columbus!
This is a positive indication of the cows trusting Sabu more, which will hopefully allow the boys to witness natural breeding behaviors.
 
The Horse Boy said:
That's probably a sign that he's interested in breeding the Dublin cows. Sabu IS a proven breeders since Columbus confirmed he impregnated a couple cows there thru natural breeding iirc before he moved back to Cincy.
Click to expand...

he actually had calves before. They are all stillborn or dead unfortunately.
 
ZCChip said:
he actually had calves before. They are all stillborn or dead unfortunately.
Click to expand...

HawkAlot said:
No stillborn, but passed younger. Both due to EEHV.

Hopefully with this vaccine stuff - that will be more a thing of the past!
Click to expand...
The loss of his eldest son, Ganesh, was tragic in particular given Ganesh was seven years old at the time and an offspring of two founders in Sabu and Jati (Jati's only surviving offspring).
 
Jambo said:
The loss of his eldest son, Ganesh, was tragic in particular given Ganesh was seven years old at the time and an offspring of two founders in Sabu and Jati (Jati's only surviving offspring).
Click to expand...
Also a shame he lost his daughter Nisha, as her mother Moola was also wild-born and has only one surviving calf (Chandra at OKC), who is now 29 and most likely post-reproductive. Sabu has lost two very valuable calves, and I hope he doesn't lose any more.
 
HawkAlot said:
No stillborn, but passed younger. Both due to EEHV.

Hopefully with this vaccine stuff - that will be more a thing of the past!
Click to expand...
I know the American calf (esp asian) mortality rate was very high for many years for that particular reason. But even over the past couple years it seems to have calmed down with healthier calves been born and stricter welfare regulations in place. And it should calm down even more if the damn vaccine works.
 
ZCChip said:
they did. Probably at the old elephant house. If you watch the animal planet show you will see it when the director talks about their elephant management.
Click to expand...
So probably their current enclosure by the monorail is not bull proof if you're referring to a much older habitat.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top