Two elephants are pregnant and expected to give birth next year – but there will only be one father in the delivery rooms. Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in Ohio announced this week that for the first time in the zoo’s history, two elephants, Phoebe and Sunny, are pregnant at the same time — a glimmer of hope for the conservation of the Asian elephant.
“This is a very exciting time for us because these pregnancies give us the opportunity to care for a multi-generational herd, which is beneficial to the elephants and their social dynamics,” said Adam Felts, Senior Curator of Animal Care and Director of Animal Welfare. .
Amanda Carberry
He added that the upcoming births will help ensure a genetically diverse and healthy population of elephants in North American zoos. Phoebe is already the mother of a 3-year-old calf, Frankie, and this is Sunny’s first pregnancy, the zoo said. The gestation period is 22 months, the zoo said.
The zoo said Sabu, a bull elephant temporarily staying in Columbus, received both calves as part of a species survival plan. According to the International Elephant Foundation, approximately 40,000 – 50,000 Asian elephants remain in the world.
Dry roofed Namibia recently announced a plan to reduce wildlife – including 83 elephants – as a way to cut human-wildlife conflicts.
“With the severe drought in the country, conflicts are expected to increase if no interventions are made,” officials said.
Amanda Carberry
The Columbus Zoo’s elephant herd currently consists of five elephants, the zoo said.