Auckland Zoo's new elephant has been named as 8 year old Anjalee, who is currently flying to Auckland, before she will take another flight to Niue for 90 days quarantine and then head back to Auckland! I really hope this goes smoothly! Auckland Zoo have set up a new webpage about the elephant: Elephant Anjalee is on her way
exciting! It is finally happening after all these years. I expect a surge in visitor numbers at the zoo too, when she arrives and goes on show. There's a photo of her (well, presumably it is of her) on zooboy28's link.
But 'The Zoo's World Renowned Elephant Programme'... are they really referring to Auckland Zoo with that?
Sounds like a hyperbole to me. In my opinion, a world renowned elephant programme would suggest: -Regular, successful breeding (Melbourne, Whipsnade?) -A world class exhibit with ground breaking innovation and/or architechture -A behavioural management programme replicated by zoos worldwide -International fame/acclaim I should refrain from making judgement however when Auckland Zoo will soon have two more elephants than I ever will. I'm sure they're doing the best they can with the resources they have.
Agreed, yet it is a small step on the way to making Auckland Zoo an elephant breeding institution. After quite a number of years without any progress on Y/N elephants, it is something to rejoice! Having said that, I do agree this elephant facility really needs further female elephants in a social herd structure and (eventually) a bull elephant for breeding. Ideally, the further female elephants I refer to should ideally come from the Pinnewala facility - which is indeed quite overcrowded with elephants as it is (and I cannot understand quite why this is not being addressed as adequately as it should - hence I think / feel sending any elephants to zoos outside Sri from the facility really is not a bad thing (and given the support they could get off zoos elsewhere both in kind and in funding) -. Bulls are - BTW - easily to be acquired from European zoos (on this Continent we have quite a few to spare). So, indeed as far as I am concerned the next priority for Auckland is A) integrate the new female with the local fave (if that works … is anybody's guess) and B) acquire preferably 1-2 further female elephants to set up a natural - if unnatural by setting it up on non-familiar lines - herd structure for Asiatic elephants at Auckland. Kudos to them!
I'm not suggesting they won't breed Elephants in the future but to make a claim like that while they have just one Elephant seems totally unrealistic to me. It is just a ridiculous statement to make(IMO).
It is like calling a theme park with only two rides a world renowned theme park. I do hope Auckland takes the oppotunity to establish a breeding herd (they've only ever had a maximum of two elephants) and that they are successful in doing so. Kifaru Bwana makes a good point on bringing in further females from Pinnewala. They are very overcrowded and our problem could solve there's by freeing up space. The two female calves in our region, Mali and Tukta, will most likely remain with their mothers to replicate the natural situation in the wild. As mentioned, while the bulls from Europe cannot currently be imported, we have surplus bulls in Australia. With a new facility just built to house Luk Chai and Pathi Harn from Taronga Zoo, and Melbourne Zoo's younger male (2013), years away from breeding, the five year old, Ongard, could be a more likely option.
The following interview with head of life sciences, Kevin Buley confirms that plans are underway for a second female elephant to be imported in 2016 and they will likely use AI to produce Anjalee's first calf further down the line: Auckland Zoo says Niueans and tourists to Niue will soon be able to visit an elephant currently quarantined on the island. Eight-year old Anjalee travelled from an elephant orphanage in Sri Lanka on a chartered commercial airline to Auckland where she was loaded onto an Air Force Hercules for Niue. The Zoo's Head of Life Sciences, Kevin Buley, told Jenny Meyer he was with her for the whole journey which she coped very well with and she's now sleeping and eating in her purpose built compound on Niue adjusting to her new environment. He says the Niuean public will be able to meet the elephant from next week until she leaves again for Auckland to join the older pachyderm Burma in June. KEVIN BULEY: The six months of quarantine that she's undergone have basically guaranteed that she's not carrying any diseases of concern. However it's a legal requirement of MPI here in New Zealand that she'll need to be quarantined in a third country against foot and mouth disease and it's primarily to protect New Zealand's agricultural export industry which is worth many millions of dollars. So there's no actual risk, but it's a legal requirement for her to be quarantined elsewhere against foot and mouth disease. Now Niue's an ideal location in that sense because one, there's one there is no risk of foot and mouth, but two, Niue does not have an agricultural export industry so the risk of any effect there is negligible. JENNY MEYER: So for you what do you think has been the most rewarding aspect of this whole journey so far with the new elephant? KB: It's been an incredibly long journey which started long before Kashin died. To get to this point now, we have an elephant secure in Niue, the people in Niue can enjoy her for three months and then we can bring her to the zoo and start to really establish the elephant family here at the zoo that we've wanted to do for so long. The fact that we're now a long way down hat path is incredibly rewarding and we know that that's what the people of Auckland want, it's the best thing for Burma here at the zoo and we'll be able to provide a life for Anjalee that's really better than she was ever going to be able to experience in Sri Lanka. JM: So are you hoping that she might breed in Auckland? KB: Absolutely. So we're hoping that as a young female elephant she'll be ready for breeding in a couple of years time. We'll be looking to do that to help build the numbers here at the zoo and create a family herd. JM: And who will the partner be? Burma or the new elephant? KB: So Burma is a female, and Anjalee's a female, and the third elephant will also be a female. So Anjalee will be initially breed using artificial insemination techniques which are widely used around the world's zoo's which allow enable the best genetic diversity to be maintained within populations. JM: Do elephants usually just have one embryo at a time or do they ever have twins? KB: 99% of the time an elephant will give birth to one calf and obviously we're hoping for a happy and healthy calf here in a couple of years time here at the zoo. JM: And a long gestation, so you've got to wait two years for the IVF and then how long for a birth if you're successful with implantation? KB: Well, yea the gestation period is a long time to keep your fingers crossed as it is over a year, but then that's how long it takes to cook a baby elephant basically. JM: So maybe 2018? KB: Where are we now? 2015? Yea so 2018/2019 we would be looking for the sound of little elephant feet. Kevin Buley says there are plans for another orphaned elephant to make the same trip in 2016. Elephant orphan quarantined on Niue till June | Dateline Pacific, 4:00 pm on 19 March 2015 | Radio New Zealand
This would mean Anjalee will be 12 if she has her first calf in 2018. Not bad. Let's hope they can get these plans underway and are successful in doing so.
I'm also impressed with Auckland Zoo's coverage and updates on Anjalee. I was previously concerned about how a new elephant would bond with Burma, especially if the new animal was approaching maturity, as in Anjalee's case, however having heard about the effort Auckland Zoo have put into selecting a suitable elephant to join Burma, I have every faith they will be compatible. I wish them all the best. In the mean time, does anyone know details on the elephant due to arrive next year? I know one was previously identified (along with Anjalee) but I believe that animal has since been discounted due to health reasons. Can anyone confirm?
Whatever their selection process, I don't think they can guarantee they'll be compatable until they meet. But given this new female is much younger, there is a very good chance, particularly as the resident Auckland female is probably missing Elephant company. But sometimes odd things happen.
Anjalee's "profile" is on the zoo website alongside Burma's: Elephant profiles And a photo album on their Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/...84.1073741931.57062666983&type=1&l=42a05eda32
Auckland Zoo's you tube videos about Anjalee's journey and quarantine facility. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zoOJGAN0T9I https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAZ9B8O3DKg
Anjalee now at Auckland Zoo Anjalee has completed her quarantine in Niue, and has been flown back to Auckland, and is now at Auckland Zoo. Introductions to Burma will begin shortly, and hopefully both will be on display in the near future. Story, photos & video here: Auckland Zoo's new elephant Anjalee arrives at new home | Stuff.co.nz
Anjalee has explored her outdoor exhibit today, and so has now been seen by visitors. Update from the Zoo's Facebook page (there are photos there too):
Do you think that Auckland will transition to protected contact anytime soon? It seems to be the norm nowdays.
I don't think so no, unless something really bad happens or they obtain an elephant that can't be managed FC. Obviously many zoos have made the shift to PC, and it is becoming the norm in some places, but Auckland's success with FC has presumbaly given them no reason to change.
Update from the Zoo's Facebook page (check out the photos too): I'm surprised at how quick it was, great to see them both out on exhibit so quickly, hopefully they form a strong bond.
Here is a story about the new pair: Story here, includes video of the two elephants: Auckland Zoo's elephants meet for the first time | Stuff.co.nz
