The Importance Of Recognizing African Elephants As Two Distinct Species

[Zooplantman]

Threat to African forest elephants : Nature News & Comment

Research by George Wittemyer and his colleagues indicates that most females of this species do not become pregnant for the first time until they are 23, and they produce only 1 calf every 5 to 6 years (A. K. Turkalo et al. J. Appl. Ecol. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.12764; 2016). By contrast, the savannah elephant begins breeding at 12 years of age, and typically produces young at 3- to 4-year intervals. Thus, forest-elephant populations increase in size slowly, and are at greater risk of extinction.

 

[Nikola Chavkosk]

And more unfavourable is that there is not self-sustainable captive population of African forest elephants.

I am wondering whether they have been mixed with African bush elephants in the past in zoos that holded them? Any hybrid?