Emmen Zoo Birth

The Emmen Zoo in the Netherlands celebrated the birth of a male calf on February 6, the second to be born in the outdoor exhibit with the herd. The calf was the fourth for the thirty year old Burmese cow Htoo Yin Aye. It was sired by the zoo’s breeding bull Radza. The 44 year old male arrived at Emmen in 2003 from Latvia. Since Radza's arrival, he has sired twelve calves. The new calf brought the zoo’s herd size to thirteen, seven of which are males.

Newborn male calf, Dierenpark Emmen, Feburary 2011.
Photo Courtesy of Dierenpark Emmen / Wijbren Landman

Portland Zoo - Droopy

From Wade Burck's "Circus No-Spin Zone:"

Sunday, May 1, 2011
Elephant calf being fed at the vet school - 1968
I am assuming this is Portland Zoo's Droopy born Sept. 29, 1968, and died Oct. 4, 1968.
Posted by Wade G. Burck

Droopy was the seventh calf born to the Portland Zoo's breeding herd of Asian elephants, sired by Thonglaw and born to first time mother Effie. The female calf only survived for five days before her death.

Droopy's dam Effie was listed in previous versions of the North American Regional Studbook for the Asian Elephant as "Lost to Follow-up" and differentiated as two separate elephants. This is in part due to a name change from 'Effie' to 'Sue.' An incorrect arrival date to Busch Gardens Tampa from the Portland Zoo precedes Effie's "Lost to Follow-up" status. The second entry for this same animal lists the correct date for Sue's arrival to Busch Gardens Tampa from an unknown location and her death in June 1985. Sue is listed with Temporary Studbook Number T1368. The 2010 Edition of the studbook merges these two animals. After her purchase by Busch Gardens, Effie was relocated to Texas a year prior to Busch Gardens Houston's May 1971 opening. The park closed less than two years later, prompting her transfer to the Tampa facility with three other female Asian elephants, Kaba, Tina and Mem. All four elephants remained in Florida until their deaths except Tina, still living and one of five members in the park's herd.

At Busch Gardens Tampa, Ellie resided with another elephant from the Portland Zoo breeding program. Emma (also listed as M&M) was born into Portland's Asian elephant herd in October 1973, sired by Vance and the fourth calf for dam Rosy. Within a year of her successful birth, Emma was sold to the San Jose Zoo. This transaction perhaps took place as brokered by Texas facility Vivo Animales. The 2010 Edition of the studbook adds this location in her history between Oregon and California. More information is sought regarding this location in Lorena, Texas.

A reference has been found regarding a fire at a zoo in San Jose that killed an elephant calf in the 1970s. More information is sought regarding this animal, unlisted in the studbook.

Emma / M&M reveals another update in the 2010 Edition of the North American Regional Studbook for the Asian Elephants. Previous versions list her with an alternate name 'Satchmo.' The 2010 Update adds Satchmo as a new elephant, SB 698, a year old male Asian elephant first arriving to Vivo Animales and transferred to Busch Gardens Tampa in July 1975 with Emma. He died the following month.

Records
Droopy, Asian Female, SB 55
29 Sep 1968 - Birth, Portland Zoo, Portland, Oregon
04 Oct 1968 - Death, Portland Zoo, Portland, Oregon

Effie (Sue), Asian Female, SB 54
1950 - Birth, Asia
1951 - Oakland Zoo, Oakland, California
11 Aug 1966 - Portland Zoo, Portland, Oregon
05 Mar 1970 - Busch Gardens, Tampa, Florida
05 Jun 1970 - Busch Gardens, Houston, Texas
23 Jan 1973 - Busch Gardens, Tampa, Florida
01 Jun 1985 - Death, Busch Gardens, Tampa, Florida

Emma (M&M), Asian Female, SB 63
31 Oct 1973 - Birth, Porltand Zoo, Portland, Oregon
Unk - Vivo Animales, Loreana, Texas
~1974 - San Jose Zoo, San Jose, California
22 Jul 1975 - Busch Gardens, Tampa, Florida
26 Oct 1986 - Death, Busch Gardens, Tampa, Florida

Satchmo, Asian Male, SB 698
1974 - Birth, Asia
~1974 - Vivo Animales, Loreana, Texas
22 Jul 1975 - Busch Gardens, Tampa, Florida
30 Aug 1975 - Death, Busch Gardens, Tampa, Florida

Chester Zoo Birth & Death

The Chester Zoo celebrated the birth of a new female Asian elephant and mourned the death of the herd's matriarch within a three week period.

Newborn calf at the Chester Zoo, 02/2011
Photo Courtesy of ChesterZoo.org

Kings Dominion

Kings Dominion, located in Doswell, Virginia, acquired six female African elephants around 1976. Three were purchased from Lion Country Safari in West Palm Beach, Florida, while another three were imported directly from South Africa.

Studbook Mysteries - Ruth/Kenna

Six Flags Wild Safari and Great Adventure in Jackson, New Jersey, celebrated their first and only elephant birth in November 1981. The calf was sired by Rip, the last of six imported males still residing at the park. Her mother was Tanya, one of four female African elephants purchased from Hemmingford Parc Safari in Canada to join a number of other females imported with the six males from the Chipperfield organization in Uganda, Africa.

When the calf was two years old, Kenna was sold to the Lion Country Safari location in Grand Prairie, Texas, a location known for distributing and dealing a high number of African elephants throughout the 1980s. It was here that Kenna's identity was temporarily lost, renamed Ruth when purchased by elephant owner, operator and consultant Don Meyer of Jo-Don Farms.

Ruth and other elephants of both species were leased as ride elephants to many different locations while owned by Jo-Don Farms. In late October 1998, Meyer sold his last two elephants, Ruth and Luella, to Brownsville's Gladys Porter Zoo in Texas. Luella died 12 years later relating to a cardiovascular viral infection, leaving the zoo with only two elephants - Ruth and their formerly successful breeding bull, Macho. After Macho's death in March 2005, the Brownsville zoo was left with a decision to acquire more elephants and expand their facility in compliance with recommendations from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums or relocate their single elephant and close their exhibit permanently.

Less than two years later, Ruth was transferred to the Milwaukee County Zoo in Wisconsin, becoming a companion animal for the northern zoo's single elephant Brittany. Three months prior, 49 year old Lucy had passed away, leaving Milwaukee in the same dilemma as the Gladys Porter Zoo. With the acquisition of Ruth, the Milwaukee County Zoo continued their elephant exhibit, while that of the Gladys Porter Zoo was permanently closed.

Brittany and Ruth at the Milwaukee County Zoo
Photo Courtesy of Danielle Faucett

Studbook Mystery

In the 2000 & 2003 editions of the studbook, elephant #168 has the following information listed:

Ruth, African Female, SB #168
1979 - Born Africa
1980 - Capture
1981 - Grand Prairie
31 Oct 1985 - Oak Creek
Jun 1986 - Minnesota
01 Nov 1987 - Rio Grande
25 Feb 1988 - Oak Creek
05 Mar 1988 - Lowry
31 Oct 1990 - Oak Creek
25 Oct 1998 - Brownsville
- Elephant is named as Ruth at all locations.

In the 2000 & 2003 editions of the studbook, elephant #209 has the following information listed:

Kenna, African Female, SB #209
02 Nov 1981 - Born Jacks Twp to 88 & 58
1984 - Ferndale
- Elephant is named as Kenna at both locations; Lost to Follow-up

----

In the 2008 edition of the studbook, elephant #168 has the following information listed:

Kenna/Ruth, African Female, SB #168
02 Nov 1981 - Born Jacks Twp to 88 & 58
12 Dec 1983 - Grand Prairie
31 Oct 1985 - Oak Creek
25 Oct 1998 - Brownsville
14 Dec 2006 - Milwaukee
Elephant is named Kenna at Jacks Twp & Grand Prairie, renamed Ruth at Oak Creek and proceeding locations.

In the 2000 & 2003 editions of the studbook, elephant #209 is not listed, as it only consists of living elephants.

---

The question arises, were these elephants two different individuals? Were they merged because of a previous error? If they are the same elephant, what is the reasoning for the omissions between Grand Prairie and Brownsville (except Oak Creek) in the 2008 edition? Any help and insight would be greatly appreciated. Please disregard the elephant database in this matter, as it has been updated from both scenarios and is incorrect at this point in time. Ryan

//"Ruth/Kenna, Six Flags/Milwaukee," Elephant Gossip on Facebook, 12/09/2008

Studbook Mystery - Solved

From 1985 to 1998 Ruth was owned by the same company, Jo-Don Farms. She was a ride elephant that went to all those locations temporarily. In Brownsville, DNA testing was done on her which indicated that she was in fact Kenna. I was told they believe the mistake occurred while she was owned by Grand Prairie? They were an animal broker. Luella went to Brownsville with Ruth, who is now dead. As far as I know, Ruth is the only former JD elephant thats actually still alive.

//Danielle Faucett, 01/26/2009

For Additional Information:
>> "Brownsville zoo sending Ruth the elephant to Milwaukee," Chron.com, 12/06/2006

>> "New African Elephant Now on Exhibit at the Milwaukee County Zoo," MilwaukeeZoo.org, 12/15/2006

>> "Ruth/Kenna, Six Flags/Milwaukee," Elephant Gossip on Facebook, 12/09/2008

>> Milwaukee County Zoo at Elephant.se

>> Gladys Porter Zoo at Elephant.se

>> Jo-Don Farms at Elephant.se

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

Nay Aug Park Zoo, Scranton, Pennyslvania

The Nay Aug Park Zoo of northeast Pennsylvania acquired their first elephant, Queenie, in 1924. The children of Scranton facilitated a city-wide effort to collect change, funding the purchase. Four female Asian elephants in total were acquired this way, each subsequent animal being purchased within a month of the previous elephant's demise. The zoo built a new elephant enclosure in 1938, several years after the arrival of their second elephant, Tillie. Princess arrived from Iowa in 1966 and lived until 1971, replaced with the zoo's final elephant Toni. Following the closure of the Nay Aug Park Zoo in 1988, Toni was transferred to the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington, D.C.

Nay Aug Park Zoo's Elephant Enclosure, built in 1938 and closed fifty years later.
Photo Courtesy of Wendy S

Queenie
The children of Scranton, Pennsylvania, contributed over $3600 in change to purchase the Nay Aug Park Zoo's first elephant. Queenie arrived in June 1926 from Germany and resided at the zoo until her death in May 1935 due to acute enteritis, or inflammation of the bowels caused by a bacterial infection.

Nay Aug's first elephant, Queenie, was bought after a region wide fundraiser garnered more than $3,000. She was greeted by a crowd of about 25,000 people.
Photo Courtesy of The Times-Tribune

Tillie
Following the death of the Nay Aug Park Zoo's first elephant Queenie in May 1935, the city began another fundraiser to purchase a replacement elephant. Tillie was purchased from the John Benson Wild Animal Farm in New Hampshire, along with her companion donkey, Joshua.

In 1938, the Nay Aug Park Zoo celebrated Tillie's eighth birthday and built a new enclosure for her and the donkey via the Works Project Administration. The following year, an ailing Tillie was diagnosed by Larry Davis of Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus with a 'cold of the kidneys' due to the concrete flooring in the barn. It was replaced with wood. The donkey died twenty years later in December 1958.

In February 1966, Tillie slammed zookeeper George Lowry into a wall with her trunk. She was euthanized later that year (before September), though it is unknown whether it was due to her more aggressive nature or her infected and abscessed feet.

1949: Tillie, the dancing elephant, and her donkey companion, Joshua, are photographed with some visitors to Nay Aug Park Zoo.
Photo Courtesy of The Times-Tribune

Princess Penny
In late 1966, Scranton began a third campaign to purchase a replacement elephant. The Nay Aug Zoo's second elephant Tillie had shortly before been euthanized. Baby elephant Princess Penny arrived in Scranton in September 1966, though died less than five years later in July 1971 due to extensive bloating.

Princess Penny and Jack, a 1-year-old pony who was on a trial visit to the Nay Aug Zoo, get acquainted under the watchful eye of director George Lowry.
Photo Courtesy of The Times-Tribune

Toni
After the death of Princess in July 1971, Scranton held their final campaign to replace an elephant for the Nay Aug Park Zoo in Pennsylvania. Toni was purchased from the Children's Zoo in Des Moines, Iowa, where she had previously resided for several years.

Toni was transferred to the National Zoo in October 1989 after the closing of the Nay Aug Park Zoo in Pennsylvania. Nay Aug Park Zoo officials originally planned to transfer Toni to Canada, but city residents persuaded to keep her in America. She, just as the other three elephants of the zoo in Scranton, had previously been kept as a single elephant in a concrete enclosure with a concrete yard.

Toni was again the center of debate in 1993 when zoo officials desired to send the twenty six year old animal to Los Angeles to breed with a male. Some Scranton residents desired Toni to eventually return to their town and argued she was too old to bear a calf. The plan never came to fruition.

Toni had sustained an injury to her left front leg in 1975 at the Nay Aug Park Zoo, a problem that eventually lead to her death in January 2006 at the National Zoo. She had previously been successfully treated there for acute kidney disease in 2001.

Toni was a small elephant, and at her peak weighed between 6,000 and 6,500 pounds.
Photo Courtesy of the Smithsonian National Zoo

Contradictory Records
Very little information is listed about Tillie and Princess Penny in the North American Regional Studbook for the Asian Elephant. Both elephants are listed with a Temporary Studbook Number, lacking "supporting documentation to validate their identities." Both elephants are also listed as "Lost-to-Follow up," or a "documented animal whose current location is unknown."

The North American Asian Elephant SSP also lists an elephant named Ruth, arriving at the Nay Aug Park Zoo in 1941. She is also listed with both with a Temporary Studbook Number and Lost-to-Follow up. No further information has been found regarding this animal or her existence.

The news article documenting the history of Nay Aug Park Zoo's elephants states Tillie celebrated her eighth birthday in 1938, though they later state she turned forty two between 1965-1966. The North American SSP lists her birth as 1924. The same article also states Tillie was put down in 1966 after she attacked her keeper. A different news article states the "aged and arthritic" animal was euthanized in 1971. She was first given a shot of curare and then a shot of nicotine before she finally died from a bullet shot to her head. If Tillie in fact died in 1971 and not in 1966, this diminishes the Cheryl Kashuba's statement that each elephant at the Nay Aug Park Zoo was solitary and was a successor to the previous resident. Tillie and Princess Penny would have resided together from 1966 to 1971 until they both died that year, replaced by Toni.

The author of the main article for the basis of this research, Cheryl Kashuba, could not be reached to further discuss these animals or discrepancies therein regarding this information.

Karen Lewis, Conservation Program Assistant for the Oregon Zoo and responsible for the maintenance of the North American Regional Studbook for the Asian Elephant, has been contacted with this updated information. As stated in the 2010 Studbook, "In our continuing efforts to validate all of the undocumented elephants, we would like to solicit your help by requesting that you review both of these [Lost to Follow up and Undocumented] sections and provide us with any information that might help us locate the elephants that have been lost to follow up, validate the undocumented elephants, or lead us to someone who might be able to provide this information."

Records
Queenie, Female Asian
Unk - Born Wild
Unk - Germany
16 Jun 1924 - Nay Aug Park Zoo, Scranton, Pennsylvania
04 May 1935 - Death

Tillie, Female Asian, SB T2296
1924 - Born Asia
31 May 1935 - Nay Aug Park Zoo, Scranton, Pennsylvania
1966 - Death

Princess Penny, Female Asian, SB T2253
Unk - Born Wild
Sep 1966 - Nay Aug Park Zoo, Scranton, Pennsylvania
01 Jul 1971 - Death

Toni, Female Asian, SB 279
1965 - Born Thailand
Oct 1966 - Blank Park Zoo, Des Moines, Iowa
1971 - Nay Aug Park Zoo, Scranton, Pennsylvania
25 Oct 1989 - Smithsonian National Zoo, Washington, D.C.
25 Jan 2006 - Death

Sources
>> "Elephants of Nay Aug Park Zoo, Scranton, Pennsylvania" at ZooChat
>> "Toni's History," Smithsonian National Zoological Park
>> "Letter from National Zoo Director John Berry to Zoo Staff About Toni the Elephant," Smithsonian National Zoological Park
>> "Nay Aug Zoo elephant cage" by Wendy S
>> "The people of Scranton can't forget about Toni Townsfolk ponder elephant's future" by Ann LoLordo, BaltimoreSun.com, 1993-03-08
>> "Facility Update: National Zoological Park, Washington D.C." by Rachada Simms," Journal of the Elephant Managers Association Vol 18 No 1, 2005, p 13
>> "D.C. Zoo Harming Ill Elephant, Expert Says," WashintonPost.com, 2006-01-20
>> "Asian Elephant Euthanized," National Zoological Park, 2006-01-25
>> "Young, old campaigned to bring elephants to Scranton" by Cheryl A Kashuba, The Times-Tribune.com, 2010-06-27
>> "Abandoned Zoo at Nay Aug Park" by Cheri Sundra, 2010-08-02

Last updated:
16 January 2011, 04:30 PM by Ryan Easley

National Zoo - Dzimbo

In October 1959, the Smithsonian National Zoo of Washington, D.C., received a baby African forest elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis) from President Dwight D. Eisenhower, a gift to the United States of America from the President of the French Communities of the Congo Republic, Reverend Fulbert Youlou.

Washington, A modern guide to the Nation’s capital; Michael Frome; 1960; Doubleday.
Courtesy of djgagnon.tumblr.com

Studbook Mysteries - Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo

In March 1967, the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha, Nebraska, purchased two three year old male African elephants from the International Animal Exchange in Michigan. Amos was returned to the dealer in June 1972; his final story is unknown. 22 year old Paj died at the zoo in May 1986.

The North American Regional Studbook lists Amos as Lost-to-Follow up, or a "documented animal whose current location is unknown."

Records
Amos, African Male, SB 52
1964 - Birth, Africa
1967 - International Animal Exchange, Michigan
03 Mar 1967 - Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo, Omaha, Nebraska
07 Jun 1972 - International Animal Exchange, Michigan
Lost to follow-up

Paj, African Male, SB 53
1964 - Birth, Africa
1966 - International Animal Exchange, Michigan
03 Mar 1967 - Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo, Omaha, Nebraska
28 May 1986 - Death, Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo, Omaha, Nebraska

For Further Information
>> Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo

>> International Animal Exchange

>> Elephants of the Henry Doorly Zoo at ZooChat

The Henry Doorly Zoo relocated their last elephant in March 2011, closing their elephant exhibit and granting the area to white rhinos.
Photo Courtesy of Squidoo.com

Update: 06/25/2015
Further information has surfaced regarding the disposition of Amos. According to his book "You're the Elephant Man," Frank Kinsey Evans picked up two lions and an African male elephant named Amos from the Omaha zoo. The three ton animal was transported in a modified plywood & steel rhino crate on a trailer pulled by pickup. He lost track of what became of Amos after 1976. Upon arrival to Lion Country Safari in Stockbridge, Georgia, the herd of animals was brought to 7 - one young male and four young female African elephants were new imports, in addition to Amos and another female Moja. Another former employee John Newburn remembers Amos from his time in Georgia. Newburn described him as a mild tempered male who spent most of the days following the park ranger around. Amos is still lost to follow-up after 1976.