North American Elephants 2009

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okapikpr

Well-Known Member
There has been a bit of recent elephant news...so I'll make a new thread for 2009.

Link to last year's NAmerican Elephant thread:
http://www.zoochat.com/22/elephant-ssp-14739/

Please lets keep this to updates and census changes to the captive elephant population...if you would like to debate a topic, please start a new thread.

Elephant dies at PAWS sanctuary
Minnie, a 54 year old Asian elephant, died January 21, 2009.
Performing Animal Welfare Society -- PAWS

Ringling Bros has 1st Artificial Insemination birth!
Barack, a male Asian, was born January 19, 2009 to Bonnie and a yet to be determined sire.
Press Releases
 
Elephant died at Elephant Sanctuary

Zula, an African Elephant, died January 11, 2009 at the Hohenwald, Tennessee facility. The sancturay has not made any press release announcement concerning this. Only a small mention in the elephant's bio.

Zula died suddenly on January 11, 2009. Deep sorrow is felt by caregivers and elephant family alike.
Click to expand...

Currently, more elephants have died in elephant sanctuaries then in zoos for the year 2009.
 
sad to hear about zula, hopefully Tange is copying well.

Barack what a name for an elephant, ;) when his sire going to be tested? I hope it is Rajah being that he hasn't sired a calf yet.
 
Here is a list of Elephants that are currently pregnant - I believe all of these are due in 2009.

Asian
Phoebe - Columbus
Rosie - Rio Grande
Shanti - Houston
Neena - Carson and Barnes Circus

African
Ndula - San Diego Wild Animal Park
Umgani - San Diego Wild Animal Park
Christie - Hogle
Asali - Memphis Overton Park Zoo

Hopefully with the completion of a few of the seventy or so elephant expansions we can see a lot more babies.
 
Last edited:
okapikpr said:
Zula, an African Elephant, died January 11, 2009 at the Hohenwald, Tennessee facility. The sancturay has not made any press release announcement concerning this. Only a small mention in the elephant's bio.



Currently, more elephants have died in elephant sanctuaries then in zoos for the year 2009.
Click to expand...

I heard about this from some elephant keepers that day and was astonished that I could find NO info in the press.
The keepers' and Curators' suspicion was that the elephant's death was directly attributable to the uncontrolled conditions at the sanctuary (rodents, specifically). I wonder why this wasn't brought up recently at the L.A. City Council or Dallas City Council debates? Where was Lily Tomlin, Bob Barker, et al when they were needed?

OK, I feel better now. Resume the thread
 
There are 4 lengthly entries in the "african ele diary" on the sanctuaries` website incl. a report about the necropsy performed by vets from the University of Georgia and Dr. Susan Mikota, who is one of the leading elephant vets in the US. The results are pending. There is absolutely nothing that suggests Zula died because of "uncontrolled conditions" - in fact, each plant species) growing on the property has been survied some years ago (must have been an extensive project). Rodents are everywhere, incl. in zoos, and again, there is nothing that suggests any connection to Zula`s death with rodents.

Apparently healthy, relatively young elephants have died in zoos too, I could compile a pretty large list from the last years if you wanted. Just to mention Tequila/Toronto, Dottie/Atlanta, Misha/Hogle and Mary/Montgomery who all died in 2008 in US zoos in their 30`th. In contrary, most deaths at the 2 sanctuaries in 2008/2009 are caused by old age (Minnie was 53, Winky was 56, Delhi was over 60 and Queenie 49!) or health problems due to former abuse (Minnie and 71`s death at PAWS). The only one who was apparently healthy and young before she died was Zula.
 
Yassa said:
There are 4 lengthly entries in the "african ele diary" on the sanctuaries` website incl. a report about the necropsy performed by vets from the University of Georgia and Dr. Susan Mikota, who is one of the leading elephant vets in the US. The results are pending. There is absolutely nothing that suggests Zula died because of "uncontrolled conditions" - in fact, each plant species) growing on the property has been survied some years ago (must have been an extensive project). Rodents are everywhere, incl. in zoos, and again, there is nothing that suggests any connection to Zula`s death with rodents.

Apparently healthy, relatively young elephants have died in zoos too, I could compile a pretty large list from the last years if you wanted. Just to mention Tequila/Toronto, Dottie/Atlanta, Misha/Hogle and Mary/Montgomery who all died in 2008 in US zoos in their 30`th. In contrary, most deaths at the 2 sanctuaries in 2008/2009 are caused by old age (Minnie was 53, Winky was 56, Delhi was over 60 and Queenie 49!) or health problems due to former abuse (Minnie and 71`s death at PAWS). The only one who was apparently healthy and young before she died was Zula.
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Take note, THERE ARE WAY MORE ZOO ELEPHANTS THAN SANCTUARY ELEPHANTS
 
Yes, and what does this mean? Old elephants will die, regardless if they live in zoos or sanctuaries.
 
Because the 2 santuaries have taken many old and sick elephants, elephants which are statistically way older then the average elephant in a US zoo, it`s just natural that some of them will die each year. Again, the ONLY case of death which can`t be explained by old age or preexisting conditions at the 2 sanctuaries in the last years is Zula! You don`t want to indicate that the sanctuary in Tennessee and California are taking bad care of their elephants, do you?
 
ColumbusZoo001 said:
Here is a list of Elephants that are currently pregnant - I believe all of these are due in 2009.

Asian
Phoebe - Columbus
Rosie - Rio Grande
Shanti - Houston

African
Ndula - San Diego Wild Animal Park
Umgani - San Diego Wild Animal Park
Christie - Hogle
Asali - Memphis Overton Park Zoo

Hopefully with the completion of a few of the seventy or so elephant expansions we can see a lot more babies.
Click to expand...

Also add that an Asian, Neena, is pregnant at Carson & Barnes Circus
 
Does anyone know if the Indianapolis Zoo are planning on breeding from their females any time soon. When the first calves (Ajani) were around 4 they AI again producing Kedar 4 and Zahara 3, so it's been around the same interval. If that makes sense!!
 
Time sure does fly.....Im sure Indy will breed those girls again soon, they may have already started. I doubt they will announce anything until they achieve a pregnancy.
 
what an interesting thread.
the whole elephants in zoos vs sanctuaries/private hands is a little flawed because data coming from accredited zoos is more forthcoming and transparent than the other holders.
i think in either case it should be noted that despite the best efforts within the zoo community to create a viable North American population of either species we should expect to see many deaths in the coming decades, as part of a bottleneck effect which i think both species will ultimately emerge from as viable.
it worries me that the debate around elephants, particularly the arguments against elephants in zoos relies heavily on selected data which presents a flawed outlook on the future of this species in North America.
obviously, elephants are long-lived species. elephant husbadary has advanced markedly in recent decades, backed by transfers, supported by breedings and research and upgrades to exhibits. but this will not help the dozens of elephants who have lived for many years in sub-standard exhibits and who will suffer long-term health issues which will shorten their lifespans such as obesity and athritis.
an elephant which dies imported in the 1970s which lived with one or two companions in a single-sexed group in a half acre concrete yard that dies in 2009 is not representative of the north american zoo elephant population as a whole, rather more representative of a generation of elephants for which the husbandary is very different from those of today.

whether in new zoo exhibits or sanctuaries, these 30 and 40+ year old animals will not live to the potential life span of this species and neither zoos or sanctuaries should be condemned when animals affected by conditions they were kept in decades ago pass away, despite best efforts now.

zoos have changed, and so has the way they keep elephants. i think its almost as if the current debate on zoos and elephants should have to differentiate between two sets of data; one based on elephants who were born into or have lived mainly under the old philosophy of elephant keeping (and thus could be expected to die younger and have more problems; problems which should not be occuring in the next generation of zoo elephants) and those younger animals who have been born into a more professional, kinder system which better meets their needs and which will, i think, result in these animals breeding more and living longer lives more closely resembling the life-spans of their wild cousins. at the moment, i think it seems a bit like comparing Nazi POW's with the IPOD generation.

sorry if this isnt very clear, its midnight in australia.
 
Im surprised they did'nt attempt to breed there other female, Tombi. I think shes a bit old though. If an elephant is pregnant there by now, its probably Kubwa
 
I think they didn't breed Tombi as before going to Indianapolis she was hand reared and kept alone, so she does/used to have social problems and proabably not the best for a mother.

The 2 breeding females are Kubwa (Amali 2000, died 2003 + Kedar 2005) and Ivory (Ajani 2000 + Zahara 2006) Its a shame they don't get a breeding bull in as they can and used to house Maclean from Disney.

Does anyone know what the future is with Ajani by the way, He is 8 and a half and still with the herd. Unusual, but the 100% best thing to do.
 
There are rumors that he is to go to Pittsburgh's conservation center, but now that there are a few new african elephant exhibits under construction that will need elephants...or Indy does have the capacity to house bulls.
 
It would be strange for him to go to go there, espcially with there being a shortage of breeding bulls in the country!! Im asuming Indy can house bulls as Maclean was there on loan betwwen 2005 - 2007...but with no breeding???

Does anyone know why African bulls in America have a problem with natural mating? I can only think of Jackson, Mabu and Willie which have successfully mated.
 
Not enough oppurtunities and too many dominanting females?...it also seems that Indy and Disney seem to prefer AI over natural breeding.
 
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