San Diego Zoo San Diego Zoo News 2014

This may have been mentioned in one of the article, but is there a reason they have allowed an Asian and African elephant to be exhibited together? I just don't want to see AZA pulling them away in a couple of years when the new standards have to be met.
 
blospz said:
This may have been mentioned in one of the article, but is there a reason they have allowed an Asian and African elephant to be exhibited together? I just don't want to see AZA pulling them away in a couple of years when the new standards have to be met.
Click to expand...

Elephant Odyssey is basically a retirement home for elephants at this point. There are now three African elephants, one who has lived with Asians at the zoo for decades, the African elephant from the Reid Park Zoo who came with her Asian elephant exhibit mate, and Mila.

This is possibly the last place in the AZA that African and Asian elephants will live together. The Asian elephants are all elderly and once they are gone I wouldn't be surprised to see this exhibit eventually become home to an African elephant herd from the ever expanding population at the Safari Park - this is just speculation based on observation.
 
Thats an interesting prediction. Wonder how that would shake down. Would the girls go to the Park to join the other females while the young boys form a bachelor herd? But isnt the zoo set up to take care of the special needs of older elephants? So why transfer the girls who would be needing that care far sooner (decades) than the boys. Would the boys just go as a bachelor group and the older girls just be kept seperately or used to keep the boys in check? Not sure how that would all work. Would the Park give up their breeding females and keep a bachelor herd? This one sounds insane to me because they want the visitors the babies bring. However they could just keep the Africans and offer the zoo as a retirement home for zoos retiring their African herds.

Very interesting what could happen. Odds are we wont know until the Asians have passed away or nearly so.


On a related note Mila and Mary have been put together for the first time today.

http://www.cbs8.com/story/24759194/elephants-introduced-to-each-other-at-san-diego-zoo
 
Last edited:
Here is a short video I took this morning of Mila and Mary.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Great video Betsy. So nice seeing them interact. And theres Shaba in the back just itching to be a part of the fun.
 
You certainly did get lucky. You have great timing on everything... on an inside track on info. Either way not many people get to witness elephant intros.
 
What animal would want to escape from San Diego? They are so pampered. Although a young koala with wander lust probably doesnt think before he acts.
 
Bronx Zoo born tiger mauled and killed by another tiger in terms of breeding in San Diego Zoo.She was from the triplets in 2009.:(
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top