Erie Zoo - Tom Boy

Wayne Jackson recently submitted a photo to ShowMe Elephants looking to identify the animal and facility. With the help of former Erie Zoo elephant keeper Kris Hopkins, the photo was identified as Shani of the Erie Zoo. A multiple part series featuring the elephant history of the Erie Zoo will begin, with many animals needing further information to complete their stories.

>> "Erie Zoo" at ShowMe Elephants

According to Erie Zoo spokesman Scott Mitchell, former Erie radio personality Barry Grossman once made the profound observation, "Erie people often identify their generation by the elephant at the zoo at the time they were growing up."

Water For Elephants

Hi - This is our response to the animal rights extremist video that is going around. Feel free to pass it on. ~Kari

We are so disappointed that the wonderful opportunity presented by Tai's role in "Water for Elephants" to raise awareness and funds for elephant conservation and Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpesvirus (EEHV) is being exploited by animal rights extremist groups.

We are unwavering in our commitment to elephants. We stand by our care and training methods. We are proud of our contributions to elephant welfare and conservation.

Animal rights extremist groups are using Tai’s role in Water for Elephants as a vehicle to take advantage of her celebrity to further their efforts to remove elephants and all exotic animals from entertainment. These groups have no basis of knowledge or experience working with elephants. They have an agenda and a history of using less than honest means to achieve their goals.

The video shows heavily edited and very short snippets, obviously taken surreptitiously six years ago, purporting mistreatment of our elephants. If there was truly any abuse going on why wait six minutes, much less six years?

None of the footage being shown was taken during Tai’s training for Water for Elephants. Tai’s celebrity and the popularity of the movie seem to be the motivation for the extremist groups to garner publicity for themselves and their cause. As our work in the movie proves you can make something look like anything to suit your purposes. That is why they call it “movie magic”.

Rest assured that we will continue to provide Tai and all of our elephants with the love and excellent care they deserve.

Gary and Kari Johnson

Have Trunk Will Travel, Inc.

Sedgwick County Zoo

Stephanie and Cinda were imported together from South Africa to Michigan in August 1972. They were then sold the next month to the Sedgwick County Zoo where they still reside together. The elephants are managed in free contact.

In February 2010, the Sedgwick County Zoo announced they would be building an eight foot tall cable and post fence to protect their two aging elephants from falling into the moat surrounding the 19,000 square foot exhibit yard. Both elephants were approaching forty years of age. The plans to build an improved and larger facility were postponed due to economic problems.

Cinda and Stephanie, mid-1970s.
Photo Courtesy of Friends of Stephanie and Cinda on Facebook

Cinda and Stephanie, mid-1970s.
Photo Courtesy of Friends of Stephanie and Cinda on Facebook

Cinda and Stephanie, July 1994.
Photo Courtesy of M Easley

"Stephanie, although the smaller of the two, has always been the dominant elephant. She is generally the first to enter or leave the outdoor yard and gets first choice of food. Stephanie seems to respond to tactile praise more than food rewards. Stephanie's favorite food item seems to be carrots as she will occasionally leave bananas, oranges and white potatoes behind. She also seems to enjoy walking backwards." //SCZ.org

Stephanie, September 2008.
Photo Courtesy of J Sentel

"Cinda is taller than Stephanie but has always been the submissive elephant of the two. She generally follows Stephanie when the elephants are called, allowing Stephanie to survey different situations first. Cinda enjoys food rewards and almost seems to rush through training so she can eat. Cinda spends more time than Stephanie using the exhibit pool and toys. Cinda doesn't really have any favorite food items as she enjoys eating everything." //SCZ.org

Cinda, September 2008.
Photo Courtesy of J Sentel

Records
Cinda (Cynda, Mzuri), Female African, SB 117
1971 - Birth, South Africa
Aug 1972 - International Animal Exchange, Ferndale, Michigan
03 Sep 1972 - Sedgwick County Zoo, Wichita, Kansas

Stephanie, Female African, SB 118
1971 - Birth, South Africa
Aug 1972 - International Animal Exchange, Ferndale, Michigan
03 Sep 1972 - Sedgwick County Zoo, Wichita, Kansas

Additional Information
Sedgwick County Zoo Official Website:
>> http://www.scz.org/

Friends of Stephanie and Cinda on Facebook:
>> http://www.facebook.com/pages/Friends-of-Stephanie-and-Cinda/117717444918185

"Zoo adding safety barrier to protect aging elephants," 02/12/2010
>> http://www.kansas.com/2010/02/12/1177596/adding-safety-barrier-to-protect.html

"Sedgwick County Zoo considers new elephant exhibit," 03/20/2010
>> http://www.kansas.com/2010/03/20/1233715/rights-group-may-target-county.html

Update 05/07/2012
Jackson Byrd recently posted an analysis of two Kansas zoos, Sedgwick County and Topeka, in relation to the changes necessary the two facilities need to make to meet compliance with standards of the American Zoo and Aquarium Association. His post can be found at his site 'Gorgeous in Gray.'

>> "Decisions, Decisions. Kansas has gotta make em’ (as well as the rest of the country)," GorgeousInGray.wordpress.com, 02/10/2012

Sedgwick County Zoo elephant herd
Photo Courtesy of gorgeousingray

Brian Kohler Collection - Lion Country Safari

Retired elephant handler Brian Kohler has been gracious enough to share his photo collection with ShowMe Elephants. The first series of pictures to be posted features Lion Country Safari of West Palm Beach, Florida.

Stumpy, Ladybird, Bulwagi and Mama
Courtesy of Brian Kohler

Nehru Zoological Park

In 2009, the Central Zoo Authority of India decreed that all zoo and circus elephants were required to be transferred to national parks, sanctuaries, rehabilitation camps, tiger reserves and forest areas, stating that the free-ranging animals’ needs cannot be met in zoos.

A March 2011 news article announced the Nehru Zoological Park in Hyderabad may be allowed to keep their elephants, pending an inspection requested to the Central Zoo Authority. The article stated the Nehru Zoo owns five elephants, including "the female elephant Rajni that is owned by the Nizam's Trust." The previous year, the Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests advised the State government in May 2010 not to return Rajni to her proper owner but rather let her remain at the zoo. The Nehru Zoo is one of the largest of its kind in India.

Elephant.se has a list of eight elephants at the location, including two males. This is incorrect if referencing the the news articles from 2010 and 2011. More information is sought regarding the Hyderabad zoo's elephant collection.


For Additional Information:
>> "Jumbo problem for Nizam’s Trust," IndiaTimes.com, 01/08/2010

>> "Rajini to stay put in Nehru Zoo," Hindu.com, 05/25/2010

>> "Jumbos unlikely be relocated from city zoo," IndiaTimes.com, 03/21/2011

>> Nehru Zoological Park at Elephant.se

>> Elephants of the Nehru Zoological Park at ZooChat.com

Oklahoma City Zoo Elephant Birth

In celebration of Mother's Day, ShowMe Elephants discusses the first North American elephant birth for 2011.

In December 1998, half sisters Asha and Chandra were sold to the Oklahoma City Zoo. At their new home, they were both transitioned from Free to Protected Contact. In the summer of 2008, both cows were transferred across the state to the Tulsa Zoo on a breeding loan, slated to return by the end of 2010 upon the completion of a new Asia exhibit.

The new Asia exhibit was designed as an 11 acre, $23 million dollar project due to open in 2011. The elephant exhibit will be designed as though entering Thailand and giving the elephants up to six acres of grassland, as opposed to the previous quarter acre of concrete.

A year after arriving, Asha and Chandra were introduced together to Tulsa's 36 year old bull elephant Sneezy in the summer of 2009. After behavioral changes and high hormone levels in bloodwork, Asha was confirmed pregnant when a heartbeat was detected during an ultrasound in October. It was announced to the public in December. Both returned in winter 2010 to adjust to the new habitat before its debut; only Asha returned pregnant, though both cows were observed bred by the male.

The Oklahoma City Zoo debuted their new elephant exhibit on March 11. The $13 million project boasted to be the largest Asian elephant exhibit in the country. It was funded by Oklahoma City sales taxes, except for $665,000 in private donations. Nine and a half acres for the exhibit includes three exhibit yards, a demonstration pavilion and an eight stall barn with a sand floor common area. The new habitat opened just weeks before the expected delivery of the zoo’s first baby elephant.

In mid April, the zoo took both elephants off exhibit while awaiting the birth of Asha’s calf. The expectant mother was kept in the barn’s maternity stall while her sister Chandra stayed in the community stall. 16 year old Asha gave birth to a 304 pound healthy female calf several days later on Friday, April 15.

Asha and calf, Oklahoma City Zoo
AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki - News.Yahoo.com

A large compilation of news articles regarding the Oklahoma City Zoo elephant program and the first birth in the zoo's history, along with a live webcam of the animals can be found at NewsOK.com.

>> "Elephant Nation" at NewsOK.com

Chandra, calf and Asha, Oklahoma City Zoo
AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki - News.Yahoo.com

De Olmense Zoo

From Peter Stolk, 05/14/2012:

De Olmense Zoo in Belgium again has elephants, two females!

"2012 - Olifanten Jenny en Kariba houden koffieklets"
Courtesy of De Olmsense Zoo on Facebook

Photographs from the Son - Toledo Zoo

The following pictures were taken in August 2009 at the Toledo Zoo in Toledo, Ohio. At the time indicated, two elephants resided at the zoo - 30 year old African elephant Renee and her six year old son Louie. Renee was impregnated via Artificial Insemination with semen collected from Bulwagi of Disney's Animal Kingdom. At the time, both animals in the zoo's collection were managed in Free Contact.

The Toledo Zoo celebrated Louie's eighth birthday last week.

>> "Zoo gives Louie star treatment for 8th birthday," ToledoBlade.com, 05/01/2011

Photo 1, Renee, Toledo Zoo
Photo Courtesy of R Easley