North American African Elephant Population

This is truly tragic. Lucas was one of only two offspring of Renee and it is devastating to see another founder lose their representation in the population. It really isn't fair, Lucas was "supposed" to be out of the high-risk zone, but I guess we truly don't know if the high-risk zone excludes teen elephants anymore. I pray that his death will allow more insight into how EEHV deaths can be prevented or at least how we can ensure recovery from EEHV.

I am, however, interested to see what Toledo does with its elephants. They will have to acquire another, but just add them to the list after Hogle, Cameron Park, Topeka, Miami. It will not be easy. Some changes seriously need to made in order to sustain this African Elephant population. I would hate to see Toledo lose their Elephants, but there aren't many options for them. That being said, I can see them asking for an exemption for years as Hogle has done. The next year or so will be very telling for the future of Toledo's elephants.

 

Given how much money has already been invested in the zoo's elephant program and Tembo Trail still being a fairly newish facility, I doubt Toledo'd be getting out of elephants anytime soon. That said, IMO they have three options - either be a facility for geriatric African elephants (though Cleveland holds that niche already in Ohio to my understanding), a facility for bachelor elephants, or (and this may be the most ambitious) stay a breeding facility. For that, they'd need some new females, perhaps a "homecoming" for Louie if he doesn't breed at Omaha, and maybe even further expansion, perhaps into the neighboring rhino yard or an elephant "trail" akin to Cheyenne Mountain or National. The way Tembo Trail is designed with the "loop" system and the hippo, otter, Indian rhino, camel, yak, reindeer, meerkat and bear habitats limits potential for expansion, and it would honestly be better off as a more cohesive zone if the following would happen:

• The hippos were sent away for the time being until the new "river" complex is constructed.
• The elephant habitat is further expanded, perhaps into the former Hippoquarium to take advantage of the pool.
• A more cohesive theme is implemented, perhaps (like I have mentioned earlier), a "Big Five" and "Little Five" trail, that can also be called the "Game Trail". Black rhinos would replace Indian rhinos, cape buffalo would replace the camels, lions would make a return and somewhere along the trail Amur leopards (standing in for African leopards because AZA) would be implemented. Small exhibits would be incorporated for elephant shrew, buffalo weaver, antlion, rhinoceros beetle and leopard tortoise.

 

Easy solution for Toledo (and Hogle, and Montgomery, and Memphis, and Pittsburgh, and more...)

Get Mabu or Sdudla!!

Both of these bulls are prolific proven breeders when given the chance, and could get these cows that desperately need to breed, bred. With a little inter facility cooperation, 5+ elephant programs could go from on the rocks to promising futures.

It'll never happen, of course. S'dudla seems destined to live out his life breeding once every 8-10 years with the two cows at Tampa, and Mabu to just continually bounce between SDWAP and Reid Park. But still, who knows, maybe one day one of them actually *will* go to a facility that so badly needs them.

 

Very sad news. RIP Lucas, I'll miss you.

 

It's highly unlikely Toledo will ever have another elephant calf again. Renee's two calves were done through A.I. and I've been told the zoo won't pay for another insemination (not to mention the bad blood between them and the facility that primarily supplied them the samples). The zoo has already said they won't breed Twiggy. The facility itself isn't as bull proof as one might think so bachelor herd is also probably not in the cards (also not really a surplus of young males currently). It will be interesting see what the future of Toledo's elephant program becomes....

 

As of April 15, 2021, there are 174 (36.138.0) African elephants in North America. Of the 174 African elephants in North America, 5 (2.3.0) reside at two institutions in Canada, and 169 (34.135.0) reside at forty-five institutions in the United States. However, these numbers are not accurate as 6 (0.6.0) African elephants have an uncertain status. The elephants with an uncertain status are italicized in the current population.

North American African Elephant Population (04/2021)

 

Unfortunately, Hogle can't house bulls with their current facility. Maybe IF they do the renovation that they teased a couple of years ago, but with the pandemic, who knows at this point?

 

This is true, I do, however, know that the Hogle Zoo is currently attempting Artificial Insemination with Zuri, possibly Christi. The pandemic sort of delayed things and it was pushed back. But regardless, it's relieving to see them take this step in the breeding program, even if I believe Christi should have already had another calf or two by now.

 

Nipho from SDZSP and Sundzu from Reid Park have both arrived at the San Diego Zoo to form a bachelor group. Hopefully, this means SDZSP will be recieving a new breeding bull soon!

 

Called it (In regards to San Diego becoming a bachelor facility as their older cows die off).

Fingers crossed the WAP finally gets a damn breeding bull now!

 

Elephant’s Necropsy Prompts Call For Investigation of 3rd Elephant Death at Sleazy Zoo | PETA
According to these reports, Buffy died at the Monterey Zoo. She should be 39 years old. Very sad. This zoo should not have elephants at all. Now they only have the bull Butch.

 

This March, Ajabu, the Dallas Zoo's 5-year-old bull tested positive for EEHV. Thankfully, with the help of staff, he has made a full recovery. This is a great step forward in the fight against EEHV, especially after the death of Lucas in Toledo.

Ajabu | Dallas Zoo

 

Lucas still has an older brother Louie at Omaha's Henry Doorly zoo. Personally, I think Louie would be a perfect fit for the San Diego Zoo Safari Park and in my opinion could be a potential breeding bull there. I do know they need one and Omaha already has a bull Callee and got Claire pregnant and she's due in 2022.

 

Louie simply doesn't know how to breed. He arrived in 2017 and he didn't seem to know what to do. Callee arrived in 2019 and got the job done right away. To be fair, Louie has never been with another bull other than Lucas and now Callee. Right now, the best option for him would probably be to let him learn from a more mature and experienced bull like Callee. A better option for the San Diego Zoo Safari Park would be Ali or Tutume. I am not sure Ali is a natural breeder though. Tutume however has witnessed his experienced father breed and has been a part of a bachelor herd.

 

@John Marchwick ,@Jaxton hit the nail on the head and took the words out of my mouth, haha.

Sadly Louie had a very poor upbringing to be a prospective breeding male. He grew up only with his mother and no other animals, and as far as I know, once Lucas was born, he was housed only with Twiggy. I have faith that eventually he *will* become a natural breeder, however it might take a number of years for him to build the confidence and experience to get the job done. Having another mature bull around, like Jaxton mentioned, is generally a good thing as well, it can help stimulate an otherwise uninterested bull into breeding (of course, it can also have the opposite affect, but that is decidedly less common).

Personally, I would *really* like to see Tonka, and a second bull moved to the Safari Park. Tonka is a stunning animal, is a wild caught founder, has no offspring, and Knoxville seems to have no interest in collecting from him for AI. San Diego is really his best chance to potentially breed. A second, younger but still mature bull, would be good to help potentially stimulate Tonka to breed, and if all else fails, is a good backup option for breeding. An excellent choice would be Tamani and Tutume and Ali are good options as well, although I doubt Granby would let go of Tutume, and the same goes for Ali and Jacksonville, plus the whole he might not be a behavioral breeder thing as well.

 

I believe that perfect bull for San Diego SP would be Jums born 1982 who lives at the Parque de la Naturaeza de Cabarceno Spain as he has sired a whopping total of 19 calves 13 of which are still alive or Maclean at Disney's Orlando animal kingdom also born in 1982 and father to three calves two of which are still alive. In my personal opinion I would prefer Jums as he is new to the north american population and given his breeding success to europe he would be able to bolster the population and bring in new genetics and to avoid inbreeding as their is only one to three active breeding bulls in the US those being Mabuhulane "Mabu" Jackson and his eldest living son Callie who is set to have his first calf in 2022 I believe.

 

"Personally, I would *really* like to see Tonka, and a second bull moved to the Safari Park. Tonka is a stunning animal, is a wild caught founder, has no offspring, and Knoxville seems to have no interest in collecting from him for AI. San Diego is really his best chance to potentially breed."

I agree that Tonka would be an excellent choice for San Diego I worry for him actually getting the cows pregnant as the last the Knoxville zoo tired to breed him with Janna he actually knocked her over and that is another thing I worry about I really don't know I they'd be safe if Tonka where to mate with them and Tonka as he weighs as of 2010 15,000 pounds that is a total of seven and a half tons so he might push his weight around a little bit to much.

 

Good god what is it with having elephants in zoo's https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPidgGMTUCs

 

According to the North Carolina Zoo's Instagram, Louie has moved there from Omaha. However, I'm a bit concerned about this move since he is, like many of you have said, a non-breeder and NC's breeding female Batir is already 19 and hasn't had a calf. She needs to have a calf ASAP or we will lose yet another breeding female, and I really don't think Louie is the right choice to breed with her. However, hopefully he was able to witness Callee breeding the cows over at Omaha and has learned something from it!

 

Stupid move. North Carolina has absolutely, without any shadow of a doubt, completely squandered any breeding potential they had. The absolute lack of an action they've taken on getting their elephant population breeding is absolutely pathetic.