Indianapolis Zoo - Ivory and Zahara

The Indianapolis Zoo currently houses two breeding females in their African elephant herd, Ivory and Kubwa. Two year old Ivory joined eight year old Kubwa at the former site of the Indianapolis Zoo in September 1984 from the Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe, imported by the International Animal Exchange. In December 1987, the pair was moved the zoo's new site near downtown Indianapolis. These two elephants became the first two African elephants in the world to give birth via Artificial Insemination.

Zahara & Ivory, Indianapolis Zoo, 05/2012
Courtesy of R Easley

The Father's Photographs - Kyoto City Zoo

The following photographs were taken in February 1995 at the Kyoto Municipal Zoo. Pictured are two Asian elephants, one with long, thin ivory. Referencing the online elephant databases of Dan Koehl and Jonas Livet and the zoo's own website, two female Asian elephants resided at the zoo during the time period indicated. 24 year old Mito arrived in 1979 and 15 year old Tomo arrived the following year. Only Mito remains at the zoo; Tomo died in April 2001.

Photo 1, Kyoto Zoo, February 1995
Courtesy of M Easley

Dallas Zoo - Stumpy

The Dallas Zoo announced the death of one of the five oldest African elephants in the country, 47 year old Stumpy. Stumpy arrived with companion Mama in 2010 for the Dallas Zoo's new Giants of the Savannah exhibit.

Stumpy and Mama, Dallas Zoo
Courtesy of The Dallas Zoo on Facebook

Elephants of Columbia

The Parque Zoológico de Santa Fe announced earlier this year the death of their 73 year old female Asian elephant, Lady, due to complications of old age.

"Zoologico Santa Fe (Elefante)"
Courtesy of Kmilocg, Panoramio.com

African Elephants of Carson & Barnes Circus

The Carson and Barnes Circus, more famously known for its large herd of Asian elephants in the 1970s and 1980s, also featured numerous African elephants in their wild animal menagerie - 7 total it seems, acquired in three different groups.

Carson & Barnes Circus 1980s
Courtesy of B. Cline, Buckles Blog

Washington Park Children's Zoo - Indianapolis

Indianapolis' first zoo opened in 1964 and exhibited animals until its closure and subsequent transfer to a new site in 1988. This facility first exhibited Asian elephants, before switching to African elephants. Generally speaking, only a single elephant was exhibited with a few instances of two for short time periods.

"Tumthong, a baby Asiatic elephant born in Laos and shipped here by air, was bought for the Zoo with the pennies, nickels and dimes contributed by thousands of school children."
Courtesy of Circus No-Spin Zone

Bulls of Zoo Miami

Zoo Miami currently houses two separate herds of elephants. Machito, Miami's 31 year old African bull resides with two 35 year old African cows, Maybel and Peggy. Miami also houses a 45 year old male Asian elephant, Dahlip, with a 42 year old Asian cow named Nellie. The elephants are managed in protected contact.

Dahlip
Dahlip has sired four calves with the female Seetna at Zoo Miami. Dahlip and Seetna were both born within a month of each other at the Trivandrum Zoo in Kerala, India. They arrived together to Miami MetroZoo in August 1967. A male calf named Rocky was born in April 1977 but died after seventeen days. Another male was born in Jul 1981. This calf, originally named Ganesha, would be the only surviving offspring of Dahlip. A third female calf named Pearl was born in October 1985 and died two days later. The final calf was stillborn in May 1996. Complications of this birth would cause the death of the 30 year old mother Seetna, requiring her euthanasia.

In February 2010, the Miami MetroZoo used a water-cooled hand saw to trim 12 inches of ivory from Dahlip's tusks to prevent him from injuring himself by hitting them on the floor when he walks. The 12000 pound elephant was forty three years old.

Dahlip, Zoo Miami's Asian male, October 2009.
Photo Courtesy of Tim May, ZooChat

Dahlip and Nellie, Zoo Miami's Asian elephants, October 2009.
Photo Courtesy of Tim May, ZooChat

Machito
Although kept with several females at Zoo Miami, Machito has only sired one calf. He bred with Tribby before her transfer to the Cleveland Zoo in November 1992 following the destruction caused by Hurricane Andrew. She gave birth to a male calf in March 1994, though the animal only survived a day. It was the only elephant birth at the Ohio zoo.

Machito, Zoo Miami's African male, October 2009.
Photo Courtesy of Tim May, ZooChat

Spike (Ganesha)
Miami MetroZoo's only surviving elephant birth occurred in July 1981. The calf was named Ganesha after the Hindu god. After Hurricane Andrew devastated the zoo in 1992 and several elephants residing at the zoo were temporarily or permanently relocated, Ganesha was moved to the Calgary Zoo in Canada and renamed Spike.

Spike has sired two calves in Calgary. Keemaya was born in November 2004, though she was rejected by her 14 year old mother and later developed an infection. She died within several weeks. The pair's second calf was born in August 2007 and named Malti. In late October 2008, the fourteen month old calf was diagnosed with Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpes Virus and died six days later. At the time of Malti's death, only four elephants were known to have experienced symptoms of the disease and recovered.

Both calves born to Spike and Maharani were full F2 generation births, meaning both of their parents were born in captivity. Maharani was born at the Calgary Zoo to Bandara and Kamala in July 1990.

Spike currently weighs 12,500 pounds and measures 11'6" at the shoulder.

Spike, Zoo Miami's only surviving birth, March 2009.
Photo Courtesy of B Van Hooft

Records
Dahlip (Dalip), Male Asian, SB 139
10 Jul 1966 - Birth, Trivandrum Zoo, Kerala, India
26 Aug 1967 - Miami MetroZoo, Miami, Florida
11 Sep 1992 - Two Tails Ranch, Williston, Florida
02 Jun 1995 - Miami MetroZoo, Miami, Florida
>> Dahlip at Elefanten-Fotolexikon.eu

Machito, Male African, SB 197
Apr 1980 - Birth, Zimbabwe
Jul 1981 - Catskill Game Farm, Catskill, New York
13 Sep 1981 - North Carolina Zoo, Asheboro, North Carolina
11 Nov 1981 - Miami MetroZoo, Miami, Florida
>> Machito at Elefanten-Fotolexikon.eu

Spike (Ganesha), Male Asian, SB 141
02 Jul 1981 - Birth, Miami MetroZoo, Miami, Florida
19 Sep 1992 - Calgary Zoo, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
>> Spike at Elefanten-Fotolexikon.eu

Additional Information
"A Tusky Situation," 02/04/2010
>> http://www.elephant-news.com/index.php?id=5181

"Calgary Zoo Celebrates Elephant Calf Arrival," 08/09/2007
>> http://www.elephant-news.com/index.php?id=2574

"Baby Elephant Gravely Ill of Herpes Virus," 11/01/2008
>> http://www.elephant-news.com/index.php?id=4316