Chester Zoo The Future of Chester's Elephant Breeding Program

Maya is fully integrated with the rest of the herd.

 

To the best of my knowledge, there was no formal press release or announcement on the zoo's website or on social media. I am sure many people learned about the pregnancy informally and it may have been mentioned on the Secret Life (I can't actually remember): but the zoo does try to keep to its policy.

 

I'm confused, Thai isn't pregnant again is she? Or is this referring to SLOTZ when she was pregnant with Anjan?

 

SLOTZ described the arthritis in her wrists as possibly stemming from a childhood injury in Burma, but at some time in her life, she undoubtedly stood on concrete which is known to cause arthritis. In the episode, Thi was off her normal arthritis meds because of the pregnancy, and the pain in her front legs was visible. For this reason, keeper James said they had decided this would be her last calf.

However, as soon as she gave birth to Anjan, her mobility did look markedly different. Keepers said this always happened--she was actually better with a calf. Perhaps this is a result of hormones? If so, perhaps the breeding decision could be reconsidered, especially considering the number of arthritis treatments available in the article above safe for even pregnant animals.

I don't know why Maya isn't mentioned except that she's not of breeding age. In one shot of the "group of 8" in another episode, I counted 8, so she's there. But you're right that older females are somewhat forgotten. When Columbus's Phoebe gave birth last December, the TV show "Secrets of the Zoo" showed and mentioned the younger females but not Connie.

 

The latter
But even if it happens again (and I doubt if they would allow it) do not expect an announcement.

 

However, I knew about pregnancy, it was known in Elephant Lexicon by Petra Prager.
Petra Prager – Elefanten-Fotolexikon

 

Cheers Gentle Lemur, we will wait and see

 

Does anyone know yet if Sundara could be pregnant? Would a keeper respond if someone asked directly? So hoping for a calf!

 

There is every possibility as Indali is nearly 3 however don't expect any formal confirmation until a calf appears as Chester generally keep things like this under wraps.

 

It's quite possible that she's pregnant again. I saw it in a September photo and she was wide enough. Chester usually doesn't report these reports, but Thi Ha Way's pregnancy in 2018 was known.

 

Thai's breeding days maybe over and her calves/decendants may not have survived but her contribution to the breeding programme has been invaluable.

 

Thi Ha Way’s contribution to data on Asian elephant reproduction in captivity has been invaluable. It’s a cruel irony that the high mortality of calves at Chester (and Whipsnade) has allowed their respective cows to reproduce naturally without the extended birth intervals you see at many zoos. Of Thi Ha Way’s nine calves, there has never been a gap greater than five years (in most cases two or three years) between a calf.

Only two of her calves survive; but since one of the seven deceased offspring survived long enough to produce calves of her own, her lineage will continue at Chester with Sundara and Indali,

 

My satellite provider suddenly erased my carefully-hoarded cache of 31 SLOTZ episodes (the nerve, grrrrr...), But I do remember there was an episode in which they announced that both Sithami and Sundara were pregnant, this after an earlier report on Aeng Bo being in the group and playing with calves. That was well early on in the pregnancies. BTW, Did nthe necropsy ever prove what led to Sithami's death? When I look at the number of calves she lost, I almost wonder if it could be grief. That, I suppose, wouldn't show up in test results.

 

Don't forget that by the time slotz is broadcast any snippet of news is at least six months old. Also a lot of the stories are made up to fit what has been filmed, as for the reptile teams Christmas party I never knew Christmas was in June

 

Six months! Lol. Here in the US, we've only gotten about four episodes past season 5! So oh yes, I'm well behind! And of course Sithami died now years ago, so my point about her pregnancy was that it was announced within months of being bred. Yes, with all the delays, even UK viewers didn't know then until halfway through the pregnancy, but they still announced it WAY before due date. I wish they'd do that now. The announcement have been at the end of the episode when Hari and Bala died, so maybe they only announced the new pregnancies early to give everyone hope.

 

Roll on the 2019 Christmas special next week with the staff dressed as elves, bet you can't wait!!!

 

My wife will have taped up my mouth to stop me shouting at the screen, and tied my hands together to stop me throwing things ...

 

Sithami only produced 4 calves.

Sundara: born 2004 still alive
Nayan: born 2010 died 2013
Bala: born 2013 died 2015
Aayu: born 2017 died 2018

All 3 deaths were from EEHV and Sithami died from blood flooding her body from a burst ulcer I believe or something similar