Pairi Diaza has announced today (via Facebook) that two of the Asian Elephant cows are pregnant and due in 2013. Ani, the younger of the two is due in March 2013 whilst Sandri is not expected to deliver until November of the same year. Father to both calves (natural mating) is Po-Chin (B2000 at Chester)
Circus Knie owns a zoo (Knie`s Kinderzoo in Rapperswil) which also serves as winter quarter for the elephants that travel during the season. They are currently building a new larger elephant enclosure. Sandry and her mother are at the zoo in Raperswil and I very much hope they will stay there forever, never going to tour - Sandry actually never travelled with the circus at all and Claudi has been staying permanently at the zoo since at least 15 years, probably more. Knie only has 3 elephants left that go on tour with the circus, the rest stays permanently at the zoo and one (Rani) was sent to Paradisio after Sandry and Claudi were transferred back to the zoo in Rapperswil. Paradisio never owned Sandry and her mother so they had no choice once Knie wanted them back. If they should have taken them in the first place, knowing they had to give them back whenever the circus wanted, is another question.
The calf died in-utero and was expelled through surgical and natural means (a 12 cm incision to re position the calf-- Ani expelled it). Ani appears to be recovering well...
