North American African Elephant Population

Kifaru Bwana is right. The two oldest daugthers of Mabu need a bull to start breeding right now. Time is Running, in 5 years it will be too late for them. They should already have their second calf by now…. But I fear they will never have one.

 

Major error indeed since over 100 animals besides Bubbles are missing from that report that were listed on the previous one.
I don't think it is error, rather something else is going on.

 

Swazi is already at the critical birth interval for breeding again and breeding from Ndula while there’s still time would allow a third matriarchal line to establish. Delaying breeding holds no advantage, so hopefully they can get things moving.

It’d also be hugely beneficial for the four year old cow to obersve the birth and rearing process while she’s still pre-reproductive.

 

Personally I really think that they should just go for an AI attempt at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park since it will be at least 2 years before official completion of the Elephant Valley. Plus even if the calves are born a few weeks or month before the opening it's still great media since the new exhibit will have some new babies to showcase as well. But long story short, going for an AI attempt can't hurt that badly. But yes as well, time is running out for Mabu's oldest daughters and something needs to happen soon, for the benefit of the species and genetics in the population.

 

Natural breeding would be far preferable. The cost to perform AI on so many cows would be high and then there’s the added complications of timing it with their cycle etc. which could be negated by having a bull on site to cover them across multiple days.

I think they should look at fast tracking the transfer of a bull (even if just a loan for breeding); or accept the inevitable that Swazi’s line will instead continue through her daughter if a bull can’t be sourced soon.

 

I also don't know if any of the cows at the Safari Park, especially the younger ones, have been trained for AI. Its heavily costly too, as you mentioned, and is only used when absolutely needed.

As they haven't imported a bull already though, i'd imagine the chances of them getting one now are quite slim. It appears they are waiting to import one due to some reason or another (likely due to the renovation of Elephant Valley).

 

Your right, Khosi and Kamile will both be sixteen, and fifteen this year. Koshi does have younger siblings within the region, and her mother's still of breeding age; Kamile, on the other hand, only has a younger brother (her mother is deceased), making her line ever the more valuable.

 

One alternative could be to undertake AI with Swazi to give her one last chance to reproduce, but they have to think cost effectively and performing AI on Swazi would be expensive and less likely to yield results than on the prime age cows or a cow who had bred recently. While less valuable genetically, it’s they who are more likely to conceive a calf which will bring in the crowds/dollars.

 

Why import a bull when we have plenty of bulls that are not being used? I believe we do not need to import a bull for 20-30 years if the breeding programs are managed wisely.

 

No one said the best option is to import a bull overseas. We were referring to importing a bull for the Safari Park from within the region.

 

oh. Thanks. I was thinking import overseas. USA is one big country with different states so we usually don’t say import when moving across state lines. Hence my confusion.

Thanks.

 

With how much speculation and tossing out of personal opinions that is intermixed with actual news in the two elephant threads, it can often be highly confusing what is actual and what is someone's speculation unless you're reading carefully!

 

Happens to the best of us

 

Speculation about the African Elephant population should be posted on this thread:

North American Asian and African Elephant Populations: Discussion and Speculation

 

Very true. Looking back, I see @IndianRhino politely requested we keep this thread to news and the discussion/speculation thread to discussion/speculation, but none of us listened.

It’s easy to get carried away when talking about things one’s passionate about, but seperate threads make sense and will limit the confusion.

 

Right, but a good deal of the last 3 pages is pure speculative discussion. Nothing wrong with some speculation but when those of us uninvolved on a regular basis come looking for something we have to be careful when it's intermixed with fact. I'm not saying don't speculate, but if you guys could keep it more to the thread for speculation it helps those of us who aren't as knowledgeable on elephants.

 

Okay. Now let’s keep it straight. I subscribed to the other thread as I was not aware of it.

people do like to comment and discuss.

 

That's genuinely fine, a lot of us do often get carried away, including myself. It's fine to speculate, but as has been said, it can often becoming confusing for those who don't know the population as well or don't frequent the thread a lot in regards to what is actually happening and what is just speculation. That's why there's a specific thread for speculation!

 

According to the Reid Park Zoo, Mabu and Litsemba bred a month ago in February 2022!

 

Given Mabu's breeding record Litsemba is most likely pregnant and due in 2024