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medical
Packy, at Oregon Zoo, in Portland, gets his morning bath. He was euthanized in February 2017 after he developed a drug-resistant strain of TB.

Captive elephants can spread tuberculosis to humans—"an issue that’s been ignored"

2020-09-04 - Portland, United States. RACHEL FOBAR

Today, an estimated 5 to 6 percent of the nearly 400 elephants in U.S. zoos, sanctuaries, and circuses are infected with TB. In the mid-1990s, after the deaths of several high-profile captive elephants in the United States, veterinarians became aware that the animals had the human strain of tuberculosis (TB). Since then, more than 60 captive elephants—some of which have since died—have been confirmed with the disease


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death

Beloved Oregon Zoo elephant Packy dies after TB battle

2017-02-10 - Portland, United States.

Beloved Oregon Zoo elephant Packy was euthanized after a long battle with a drug-resistant form of tuberculosis, zoo officials announced Thursday. At nearly 55 years old, Packy was the oldest male Asian elephant in North America. We’d run out of options for treating him,” said the zoo´s lead veterinarian Dr. Tim Storms.


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medical
Asian elephant Packy, at 54 the oldest male of his species in North America, enjoys a swim at the Oregon Zoo earlier this fall.

Packy keeps going as he battles tuberculosis

2016-12-15 - Portland, United States.

Packy’s human family at the Oregon Zoo is concerned for the health of the legendary Asian elephant, the oldest living of his kind in North America. The 54-year-old Packy has shown a recurrence of tuberculosis, and treatment has stopped working and it’s been suspended. Zoo officials are consulting with experts about what to do. Not to alarm anybody, but it’s an unknown situation.


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medical
Elephant keepers Bob Lee, Phil Prewett, and veterinarian tech. Margot Monti use an ultrasound machine to tell how much sperm Tusko has at the Oregon Zoo.

Oregon Zoo staff infected by tuberculosis after exposure to infected elephants

2016-01-10 - Portland, United States.

Seven staff at the Oregon Zoo were infected with tuberculosis following an outbreak starting in 2013 among three bull elephants – Packy, his son Rama and Tusko. The seven people who developed a latent form of the disease without symptoms had close contact with the elephants, according to a report published Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. An eighth person, a volunteer, also developed a mysterious case of tuberculosis.


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event

Oregon’s beloved elephant Packy turns 53. Packy is the oldest male of his species in North America

2015-04-15 - Portland, United States.

The Oregon Zoo’s beloved patriarch elephant, Packy, is celebrating another birthday: the six-ton senior just turned 53. Zoo officials say Packy is the oldest male of his species on the North American continent. The zoo’s elephant curator Bob Lee said Packy has slowed down in old age and the zoo is trying to give him the most comfortable life possible.


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death

Oregon Zoo euthanizes 31-Year-Old Elephant

2015-03-31 - Portland, United States. Felix Balthasar

On Monday, the Oregon Zoo euthanized a 31-year-old elephant named Rama. The zoo officials took this hard decision as Rama was in extreme pain due to an old leg injury. Rama was treated with physical therapy techniques and anti-inflammatory medications. But the zoo officials said that none of them were proving effective to lessen the pain. In fact, no new modifications were able to improve Rama´s quality of life.


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zoo
Packy, steaming from a bath, gets a banana from Oregon Zoo elephant curator Bob Lee.

Lily Tomlin vs. Oregon Zoo: Poll respondents lean toward keeping elephants in Portland

2013-12-16 - Portland, United States.

An online poll Friday asking, "Should the Oregon Zoo keep its elephants?" drew 5,332 responses. The results: Yes: 3,066 votes or 57.5 percent, No: 2,266 votes or 42.5 percent. The poll was prompted by news Friday morning that comedian-turned-animal-activist had emailed the Oregon Zoo and Metro, which operates the zoo. Her goal: persuade the zoo to send Packy, the zoo´s beloved, 51-year-old male Asian elephant to a sanctuary.


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misc

Human remains found during construction of elephant facility at Oregon Zoo

2013-09-08 - Portland, United States.

Construction workers digging the new elephant habitat at the Oregon Zoo discovered a human skull last month. Since then, archaeologists have found the remains of nine people buried within a six-acre area. The remains are believed to be people who lived at the Hillside Farm, a 160-acre poor farm owned and operated by Multnomah County. It was a place for the poor to get medical care, and often live out their last days.


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medical
Packy

Medicating two Oregon Zoo elephants for tuberculosis challenges veterinarian and keepers

2013-08-16 - Portland, United States.

Mitch Finnegan said Wednesday that Rama, who started treatment about three weeks ago, began rejecting the oral portion of his drugs on Saturday. Packy´s treatment stopped one day after it started about 10 days ago because the Asian elephant went into musth, a periodic condition during which bulls´ testosterone spikes. Often, bulls in musth grow aggressive but Packy simply turns uncooperative, making it impossible for keepers to medicate him.


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medical
Mike Keele helps scrub Chendra.

Members Of Oregon Zoo Staff Test Positive For TB

2013-07-26 - Portland, United States.

A Multnomah County health official says members of the Oregon zoo staff, who have had contact with an elephant infected with tuberculosis, tested positive for the disease. A spokesperson for the Oregon Zoo would neither confirm nor deny that members of the staff tested positive for the disease.


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people
Mike Keele was a 9-year-old Portlander when Packy was born in 1962.

Oregon Zoos Mike Keele, a leading elephant expert, retires after nearly 42 years

2013-06-26 - Portland, United States.

Keele, 60 and that community´s most longtime employee -- he´s been there for one-third of the zoo´s 125 years -- will retire Friday. The man who began his life´s work as a less-than-ambitious 18-year-old cleaning up after rats and armadillos, evolved with his zoo. It embraced changing animal welfare standards and a conservation ethic, while Keele rose to be a respected, no-nonsense leader in one of Portland´s signature institutions, and one of North America´s ...


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medical
Rama, a 30-year-old Asian elephant at the Oregon Zoo, has tested positive for tuberculosis, zoo officials learned Friday, May 31.

Portland Zoo elephant Rama tests positive for TB

2013-06-02 - Portland, United States.

The male elephant tested positive for the illness last week. The zoo routinely tests all its elephants for TB by taking an annual trunk culture (collecting fluid from the animal’s trunk and sending it to a certified laboratory for testing) as part of its comprehensive health program and in compliance with U.S. Department of Agriculture standards.


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people

Oregon Zoo"s top elephant expert, Mike Keele, will retire in June

2013-02-24 - Portland, United States.

Mike Keele, one of the nation´s leading experts on Asian elephants, this week told co-workers he plans to retire in June after 42 years at the Oregon Zoo. Keele, 59, started at the zoo in 1971. He was 18 and fresh out of Southeast Portland´s Marshall High School.


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trade

Oregon Zoo buys Lily and Tusko for $400K

2013-02-09 - Portland, United States.

The Oregon Zoo now has the legal rights to elephants Lily and Tusko after buying them from Have Trunk Will Travel, the zoo announced Friday morning. The zoo purchased Tusko and Lily for $400,000, thus voiding its loan agreement with the California-based company, said Kim Smith, the zoo’s director. Tusko was on a breeding loan since 2005 and sired elephants Lily and Samudra.


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facility

Oregon Zoo wants Metro to buy acreage for Clackamas County elephant reserve

2012-12-13 - Portland, United States.

Next Tuesday, Oregon Zoo officials are expected to ask the Metro council for $4 million to $5 million to offset high construction costs of the new elephant habitat and other projects, and to exercise the Metro´s option to buy about 200 acres in Clackamas County for a remote elephant center.


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birth
A baby Asian elephant calf frolics withward with her mother, Rose-Tu, and meets her brother, Samudra, at the Oregon Zoo. Frame grab from video.

In the big business of elephants, breeding is a key issue, Oregon Zoo finds

2012-12-09 - Portland, United States. Katy Muldoon, The Oregonian

The zoo will keep the calf. Have Trunk Will Travel is in good standing with government agencies that grant its licenses and oversee animal-welfare laws. When it comes to captive elephants, cooperation across the spectrum of animal exhibitors is business-as-usual. Public zoos, private zoos, circuses, theme parks, traveling shows -- operations with radically different missions, messages and profit motives -- are all in it together because elephants are big business.


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misc

California company Have Trunk Will Travel: "No intention" of taking baby elephant

2012-12-05 - Portland, United States.

Have Trunk Will Travel has no intention and has never had any intention of coming to take Rose-Tu´s calf. Have Trunk Will Travel supports Oregon Zoo´s vision for elephants and has great appreciation for the way they care for elephants. We are very proud of the significant contribution we have made together for Asian elephants. We could not be more excited about the birth of this new calf.


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birth
Researchers monitor Rose-Tu

Zoo study seeks method for predicting elephant"s due date

2012-10-29 - Portland, United States.

Despite years of important scientific discoveries about elephants — many of them made right here in Portland — pinpointing a pregnant elephant´s due date remains something of a mysterious art. With a 22-month gestation period, the longest of any mammal on the planet, giving birth "a little early" can mean several weeks. Currently, the best predictor is blood-progesterone level, which remains high throughout pregnancy and drops precipitously a few days before delivery.


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event

Packy the elephant celebrates his 50th birthday at the Oregon Zoo

2012-04-14 - Portland, United States.

Packy the elephant celebrated his 50th birthday today by becoming the first animal knighted by the Royal Rosarians, listening to thousands of fans sing him Happy Birthday and swallowing a 40-pound cake in nine minutes and 57 seconds. The 12,600-pound pachyderm and face of the Oregon Zoo debuted on April 14, 1962, the first elephant born in North America in 44 years.


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book

"Packy & Me" review: Veterinarian Matthew Maberry and the baby elephant who made history

2011-03-27 - Portland, United States.

Packy made his entrance at what´s known today as the Oregon Zoo the first elephant born in the United States in more than 40 years. Matthew Maberry was in the elephant barn that morning and he recalls every detail in "Packy & Me: The Incredible Tale of Doc Maberry and the Baby Elephant Who Made History." Maberry, 93, wrote the memoir with his wife, Patricia, and Michelle Trappen, a former reporter for The Oregonian.


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job

Portland Zoo, Oregon: Animal keeper - elephants

2011-02-22 - Portland, United States.

The Oregon Zoo is pleased to announce an available position working as a member of the professional animal care team for our Elephant facility. We are headed for an exciting time in our elephant program with the expansion of our current elephant facilities from 2.5 acres to 6 acres and the development of an off-site elephant facility.


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research
Visitors get their first look at Samudra, the elephant calf born at the Oregon Zoo in 2008. Zoo managers hope to continue to grow the herd.

Oregon Zoo and others across North America plan a three-year elephant-welfare study

2010-11-19 - Portland, United States. Katy Muldoon

"Using Science to Understand Elephant Welfare" will involve all 290 Asian and African elephants housed in zoos accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Zoos with pachyderms were not required to participate, but all signed on.


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job

Oregon Zoo: Elephant Curator

2010-10-30 - Portland, United States.

We are headed for an exciting time in our elephant program with the expansion of our current elephant facilities from 2.5 acres to 6 acres and the development of an off-site elephant facility. We are seeking an Elephant Curator to manage the elephant collection.


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job

Oregon Zoo: Elephant Curator

2010-10-15 - Portland, United States.

We are headed for an exciting time in our elephant program with the expansion of our current elephant facilities from 2.5 acres to 6 acres and the development of an off-site elephant facility. We are seeking an Elephant Curator manage the elephant collection.


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evolution
Did a comet impact really kill off megafauna such as the mammoth, mastodan and sabre-tooth tiger?

Did Dryas comet really kill off mammoth?

2009-10-23 - Portland, United States.

Debate on the existence of a Younger Dryas comet impact, 12,900 years ago, and whether it is linked to mass extinctions of large mammals and early humans in North America reopened this week. This then wiped out such Pleistocene megafauna as the sabre-toothed cat, the mastodon and the mammoth, along with the Clovis people, one of the earliest American cultures.


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event
Samudra, the Oregon Zoo

Samudra, the Oregon Zoo"s Asian elephant calf, will be 1 year old Aug. 23.

2009-08-22 - Portland, United States.

On his big day, Sam will get to chow down on a cake made by the zoo's Executive Chef Paul Warner, but he won't be the only one celebrating. The zoo will throw a party in Sam's honor on Sunday, Aug. 23, and all zoo visitors are invited. Sam was born as a part of the Oregon Zoo's renowned breeding program for endangered Asian elephants. More than 25 calves have been born at the zoo, beginning with Packy in 1962. Samudra is the first third-generation elephant to be born in the United States.


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misc

Elephants, Robotics, and Teens Together at Oregon Zoo

2009-08-15 - Portland, United States. Bill LaMarche

The Oregon Zoo's Asian elephants have been getting fitter this summer, thanks to some local teenagers. Three Catlin Gabel students recently revived a six-year-old, out-of-service environmental enrichment device for the zoo's bull elephants. The device was initially designed by Portland State University students to mentally engage the elephants, while also encouraging them to exercise.


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facility

Oregon Zoo Shows Off Plans For New Elephant Area

2009-06-16 - Portland, United States.

Voters passed a $125 million bond measure for the zoo last fall. The money will be spent on everything from a new enclosure for polar bears to improved veterinary facilities. $30 million is earmarked to increase the elephant enclosure from three acres to six acres. Zoo deputy director, Mike Keele, says the bull elephants will also get a 200 acre off-site space.


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abstract
Packy tears into his birthday cake today at the Oregon Zoo

Thousands Turn Out for Packy"s 47th Birthday at the Zoo

2009-04-18 - Portland, Oregon, United States. Phillip Swarts, The Oregonian

Packy the elephant turned 47 today, amid plenty of cake, smiles and elephant ears. Packy helped make Portland's zoo famous when he became the first elephant in decades born in the Western Hemisphere, and the Oregon Zoo has celebrated "Elephantastic!" on his birthday weekend ever since. Rama, one of Packy's sons, 26, also celebrated his birthday today, with a "trunk show" of paintings he creates with his trunk. With two and a half hours left until closing time, there had been 8,500 visitors to th...


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abstract

Oregon Zoo Animals Step on the Scale

2009-04-10 - Portland, Oregon, United States. Katy Muldoon, The Oregonian

The Oregon Zoo's effort to carefully track its elephant calf's weight began with a technique developed, or so it might seem, by sadistic physicians. Each day, keepers shoved little Samudra onto a scale. But as the zoo's prize newcomer approaches 1,000 pounds -- he was born last Aug. 23, weighing 286 pounds -- he's learned to follow the simple, firm directive that keeper Bob Lee delivered Tuesday: "Scale!" At the word, Sam, as he's known, stepped onto a plywood platform hooked to a scale. His leg...


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event
Samudra, the 5-month-old Asian elephant, practices "soccer" at the Oregon Zoo.

Zoo"s baby elephant turns five months old

2009-01-26 - Portland, United States.

Samudra, the Oregon Zoo’s celebrated Asian elephant calf, turns 5 months old today, and according to keepers he is more playful and inquisitive than ever. Samudra is the first third-generation elephant to be born in the United States. “It appears he’s developed some athletic ability,” said Bob Lee, senior elephant keeper at the zoo. “He loves playing with a blue ball, knocking it around with his trunk soccer-style.” The Oregon Zoo has a renowned breeding program for Asian elephants. ...


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zoo
Chendra, the smallest adult elephant at the Oregon Zoo, stops by Steller Cove sea lion exhibit during one of her morning exercise walks.

OREGON ZOO ELEPHANT PROGRAM ENJOYS BANNER YEAR. Baby Samudra, funding to expand exhibit highlight 2008 for storied program

2009-01-08 - Portland, United States. Oregon Zoo Press release

The Oregon Zoo's elephant program enjoyed a remarkable year in 2008, with Rose-Tu successfully giving birth to Samudra and local voters passing a $125 million zoo bond measure, of which $30 million will go toward expanding the current elephant exhibit and funding an off-site reserve. Rose-Tu stayed physically fit during 2008 through brisk walks and daily workouts with her trainers. The zoo's comprehensive exercise program helped prepare Rose-Tu for the difficulty of labor, and on Aug. 23 she gav...


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event
Samudra, the Oregon Zoo

Oregon Zoo animals enjoy the winter blast

2008-12-18 - Portland, United States. press release courtesy of the Oregon Zoo

Samudra, the Oregon Zoo's celebrated Asian elephant calf, got his first taste of snow -- literally. Keepers say the newest addition to the elephant herd romped in the snow for nearly a half hour playing with it, rolling in it and, yes, eating it. After closing for a day and canceling two nights of its popular ZooLights festival, the zoo has resumed regular operations and visitors were rewarded with a rare glimpse of animals enjoying a winter wonderland. "Our visitors rarely get to watch the anim...


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facility

Metro"s zoo bond passes

2008-11-04 - Portland, United States. Eric Mortenson, The Oregonian

A $125 million bond measure that would provide more space and more natural surroundings for the Oregon Zoo's elephants, polar bears, chimps and other animals won handily Tuesday. Zoo supporters acknowledged the difficulty of passing a multimillion-dollar bond measure just as the state and national economies are flagging, but said a long list of improvements is necessary to improve conditions at the zoo. Metro area voters, including supporters who have contributed to record attendance at the zoo,...


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facility

Zoo seeks aid for aging facilities. Measure 2696 would create $125M bond to pay for new hospital and remodels

2008-10-31 - Portland, United States. NATHALIE WEINSTEIN

When the Oregon Zoo opened in 1959 in Washington Park, the exhibits were designed at a time when naturalistic exhibits were not a concept, and instead focused on modern design, asymmetrical structures and bright colors. Over the years, the facilities have become outdated and detrimental to the health of the animals that inhabit them, zoo officials say. That’s why the Metro Council, Oregon Zoo Foundation, zoo staff and community leaders have been working to develop a bond measure for the past f...


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misc

Sam To Squish Squash. Precocious Pachyderm Joining Herd In Holiday Tradition

2008-10-26 - Portland, United States. Brooks Burford

Samudra, now 2 months old, joins the Oregon Zoo's herd to "squish the squash" on Friday. Every year the zoo's Asian elephants are presented with pumpkins which they proceed to play with and tromp into squishy blobs of goo. "Sam" turned 2 months of age on Thursday. That morning he weighed 473 pounds "and he's growing 2 to 3 pounds every day, just on mother's milk." Elephant keeper Bob Lee says Samudra is now teething, chomping and chewing on leaves and branches.


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misc
Samudra and his mother, Rose Tu, hang out in the "backyard" Friday morning shortly before the naming. Samudra is Hindi for Lord of the ocean. They picked that name because "Sam" loves his bathes.

Baby elephant finally gets his name: Samudra

2008-09-12 - Portland, United States. Katy Muldoon, The Oregonian

The votes are in, and the Oregon Zoo's new baby elephant is named Samudra, or Sam for short. The calf loves his baths, so the name, which means "lord of the ocean," is fitting. More than 17,000 people voted among five names, and Samudra took 35 percent. Hugo-Tu was second. The contenders: Amul: Hindi for priceless or of inestimable worth. Bao: Chinese for precious treasure.
Duc (rhymes with hook): Vietnamese for good, moral, desire. Plus, the zoo notes, it makes up a fraction of Kevin Duc...


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event
Assistant Curator Gilbert Gomez, left, and elephant keeper Dimas Dominguez get a good grip on the Oregon Zoo

Oregon Zoo"s baby elephant makes first public appearance

2008-08-30 - Portland, United States.

The newest addition to the Oregon Zoo is ready to meet his adoring fans. The public will be able to see the 286-pound elephant calf born last weekend to Asian elephant Rose-Tu for the first time on Saturday. Zookeepers have been working to "baby proof" the elephant exhibit at the Oregon Zoo for the past few days. Meanwhile, the calf has been exploring his surroundings, picking up sticks and even playing in the bath with his mother. The baby has also been lying down Zoo officials say the calf con...


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facility

Weighing the zoo bond measure. Rose-Tu"s baby, as yet unnamed, helps to illustrate both the pros and the cons of keeping elephants in captivity

2008-08-27 - Portland, United States.

The new baby elephant that arrived last weekend at the Oregon Zoo gave it a tremendous gift a 281.6-pound boost. But the baby's arrival is well-timed for another reason, too. In November, the region's voters will decide whether to support a $125 million bond measure that includes $30 million to expand the zoo's cramped elephant quarters. (In a memorable phrase in June, The Oregonian's Susan Nielsen described the current indoor viewing area and 1.5-acre yard shared by six, now seven, elephants as...


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zoo

Oregon Zoo newsroom, update on Rose-Tu´s elephant baby

2008-08-25 - Portland, United States.

Rose-Tu and her calf have been together since 5 p.m. last night, supervised by keepers. She's letting him nurse and gently tucks him underneath her when he does so. She's so relaxed during nursing, it sometimes looks like she's sleeping. The baby continues to get stronger and is sucking heartily. When Rose-Tu appears too tired to nurse, keepers supplement his diet with elephant formula, delivered via a 12-ounce bottle with a large, specially crafted nipple. The baby elephant is taking in about 1...


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pictures

Baby Boy Elephant

2008-08-25 - Portland, United States.

watch photographers pictures from Rose-Tu´s ultrasound until the baby is being dried by the keepers


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film

Baby elephant born at Oregon Zoo now nursing with mother

2008-08-25 - Portland, United States. ANTONIA GIEDWOYN

Happy news for a baby elephant born at the Oregon Zoo over the weekend – elephant mother Rose-Tu has begun nursing her calf and appears to have accepted her newborn. The calf began walking up to his mother and successfully nursing on both sides, according to zoo spokeswoman Linda D'Ae-Smith. When Rose-Tu gets tired, staff supplements the nursing with a bottle.


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misc

Baby elephant now doing well. After a scary birth, mom and baby are doing well at the Oregon Zoo

2008-08-25 - Portland, United States. Jeff Thompson

Rose-Tu and her newborn calf at the Oregon Zoo are continuing the reintroduction process after some scary moments Saturday afternoon. When the 280-pound calf was born, keepers say Rose-Tu was confused, having never witnessed an elephant birth before. She started kicking the baby and keepers had to intervene and separate the two. The calf has since been monitored and seems to be okay. Mike Keele, zoo asssistant director, says keepers and vets are carefully continuing the re-introduction process s...


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birth
Assistant curator Gilbert Gomez (left) and elephant keeper Dimas Dominguez support the new elephant calf Saturday at the Oregon Zoo in Portland, Ore. Behind them is elephant keeper Pam Starkey.

Oregon Zoo"s baby elephant gets a kick-start

2008-08-24 - Portland, United States.

Rose-Tu has given birth to her first baby, the 28th elephant born in the history of the Oregon Zoo. The 14-year-old Asian elephant delivered the 286-pound male calf Saturday afternoon and immediately kicked it, a common way mother elephants encourage infants to stand. Zookeepers, however, rushed in when the kicking became too violent. Mike Keele, the zoo's deputy director, believes that because Rose-Tu had never seen a birth before, she became confused when the baby was born. "Our veterinarians ...


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medical

Oregon Zoo anxiously awaits a baby elephant. Rose- Tu"s first baby could supercharge attendance, but will the delivery go well and will the 7,666-pound elephant be a nurturing mom?

2008-08-22 - Portland, United States. Katy Muldoon

Anxiety simmers at the Oregon Zoo, and it's no wonder. For the first time in 14 years, just as the zoo faces key decisions about its future, one of its Asian elephants --the institution's flagship species --is about to give birth. If all goes well, an adorably wobbly, floppy eared calf could draw tens of thousands of extra visitors and prompt a wave of positive publicity at an opportune time: Metro, which owns the zoo, will ask voters in November to approve a $117 million bond measure to upgrade...


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birth
elephant keeper Bob Lee trains Rose-Tu to sit up so her feet can be checked. Rose-Tu will be giving give birth soon, and physical conditioning is important.

Oregon Zoo awaits baby elephant that could supercharge attendance

2008-08-18 - Portland, United States. Katy Muldoon, The Oregonian

Anxiety simmers at the Oregon Zoo, and it's no wonder. For the first time in 14 years, just as the zoo faces key decisions about its future, one of its Asian elephants the institution's flagship species is about to give birth. If all goes well, an adorably wobbly, floppy-eared calf could draw tens of thousands of extra visitors and prompt a wave of positive publicity at an opportune time: Metro, which owns the zoo, will ask voters in November to approve a $117 million bond measure to upgrade exh...


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birth

Oregon Zoo anxiously awaits a baby elephant that could supercharge attendance

2008-08-17 - Portland, United States. KATY MULDOON

Anxiety simmers at the Oregon Zoo, and it's no wonder. For the first time in 14 years, just as the zoo faces key decisions about its future, one of its Asian elephants -- the institution's flagship species -- is about to give birth. If all goes well, an adorably wobbly, floppy eared calf could draw tens of thousands of extra visitors and prompt a wave of positive publicity at an opportune time: Metro, which owns the zoo, will ask voters in November to approve a $117 million bond measure to upgra...


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misc

Oregon Zoo gets pregnant elephant to work out

2008-07-18 - Portland, United States. KATY MULDOON

Mamas-to-be, you know what the doctor says: Stay fit. Eat right. Don't gain too much weight. Same holds true if you're a 7,660-pound pregnant Asian elephant, which explains why the Oregon Zoo's Rose-Tu was cross training early Thursday: a little jogging, strength training, water aerobics, sit-ups, leg-lifts, stretching and -- wait -- was that a Pilates move? Might have been. Girl's gotta work her core if she's to have a trouble-free labor and delivery, which is what zookeepers hope for Rose-Tu s...


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facility

Cramped zoo seeks cash for critter space. Metro may ask for a $117 million bond for habitat improvements

2008-04-30 - Portland, United States. ERIC MORTENSON

The polar bears are pacing, the elephants need more elbow room and the chimps are treated like chumps, with no running water, no forest canopy and no neighboring wildlife to screech at in their sterile habitat at The Oregon Zoo. That's according to zoo director Tony Vecchio, and so Metro, the regional planning agency that owns the zoo, is likely to ask voters to approve a $117 million bond measure on the November ballot. The money would give major animals more room and more interesting space, in...


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misc

Begins on PDX Icon “Packy” Mural

2008-04-03 - Portland, United States.

Demolition began today at the site of Portland-based nonprofit Mercy Corps’ new global headquarters in Old Town’s Skidmore Fountain Building (28 SW 1st Avenue, just off West Burnside Street). And when contractors Marsh Construction Co. began taking down the upper sections of the north wall, the first thing to go was a mural, by Portland artist Eric Parsons, of Packy, Portland Zoo’s famous Asian elephant.


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facility

So, what services do you want to pay for? Election "08 - A slew of metro-area agencies look to the November ballot for new property tax measures

2008-02-11 - Portland, United States. ANDY DWORKIN

Is the average Beaverton homeowner more likely to buy new green space for her kids or for Rose-Tu, the Oregon Zoo's pregnant elephant? Might she splurge for both, despite the struggling economy? These are the multimillion-dollar questions governments are asking across the metro area and the rest of Oregon for a November ballot quickly filling with requests for new taxes to fund schools, streets and public safety.


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facility

Oregon Zoo unveils new mane event. Animals - The master plan for the zoo includes a lion exhibit, a parking garage and a bigger elephant area

2007-10-09 - Portland, United States. RICHARD L. HILL

Change is uncaged at the Oregon Zoo. Lions will be heard roaring again at the Washington Park facility, joined by speedy cheetahs and African wild dogs. The zoo has broken ground on a 50,000-square-foot "Predators of the Serengeti" exhibit, which will open in 2009. The zoo also has unveiled a strategic master plan that proposes expanding the elephant area, building a three-story parking deck to deal with its chronic parking shortage and increasing summer admission prices.


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facility

Metro hears proposal for expanded elephant exhibit. Animal activists, however, aren"t happy with the idea of a bigger enclosure for the animals.

2007-10-06 - Portland, United States.

The Metro Council at the Oregon Zoo heard testimony to expand the elephant exhibit. Bottom line, most of the people with the organization In Defense of Animals simply want the exhibit moved out of the Zoo to give the animals more living space. These elephants, because they're the largest land animal, need more space and adding a couple of acres to their already small space is not enough. Deputy Zoo Director Mike Keele disagrees. The sadness is that these armchair extremists don't realize that wh...


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birth

Oregon Zoo elephant Rose-Tu is pregnant

2007-10-01 - Portland, United States.

The Oregon Zoo announced today that its 13-year-old Asian elephant, Rose-Tu, is pregnant and should deliver a calf between Sept. 4 and 24, 2008. Zookeepers figure she conceived between Dec. 4 and 6, 2006, when she was allowed to roam the elephant yard with Tusko, a 36-year-old bull the zoo acquired on a breeding loan in 2005. A baby, said Mike Keele, signifies a major impact on the life of the herd. Its incredibly enriching.


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event

Oregon Zoo Celebrating Two Big Birthdays

2007-04-13 - Portland, United States.

Children gathered at the Oregon Zoo Friday to help make and decorate a cake for Packy the elephant, who is turning 45 years old. The celebration continues with Packy's son, Rama, getting a turn in the spotlight. Rama will receive his own cake in the indoor gallery at 1 p.m. to mark his 24th birthday. Earlier in the morning, visitors have a chance to learn more about Rama during an elephant feeding and training demonstration focusing on his painting activities.


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medical

Second surgery at Oregon Zoo clears out Tuskos tusk

2007-04-01 - Portland, United States. Katy Muldoon

The veterinarian drilled. The dentist chiseled. They both pried and pulled. Finally, after more than 3½ hours of surgery today on a beloved Oregon Zoo elephant, the two men rose to their feet and slapped their right hands in a bloody high five. Theyd just removed the final piece of a difficult puzzle: a 10-inch-long chunk of rock-hard tusk and dentin from high inside the pachyderms skull. At last, Tusko was tusk-free.


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medical

More Dental Work For Zoo Elephant: Tusko the elephant will undergo a second tusk-removal surgery.

2007-03-30 - Portland, United States.

The 6.75-ton, 35-year-old bull elephant spent 14 years with a broken tusk. Nearly all of the left tusk was removed during a February operation, but the team was unable to remove a chunk of compacted, hard dentin tissue in the deep part of the tusk cavity. Sunday, the last few inches of tusk will be removed. While the operation is risky, Finnegan says the risks are outweighed by Tusko's discomfort and the overall threat the chronic infection poses to his long-term health.


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book

Wild Orphans, book by Gerry Ellis

2007-03-29 - Portland, United States. JIM DEVER

Northwest photographer Gerry Ellis has documented the rescue and rehabilitation of numerous baby elephants in his book, Wild Orphans. Its an extraordinary story that takes Gerry from the basement of his Portland, Oregon home to a remote wildlife orphanage in Nairobi, Africa, where he meets a group of motherless elephants he calls the Orphan Eight.


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medical
Oregon Zoo veterinarians work on Tusko the elephant during surgery to remove an infected tusk.

Elephant tusk removal partly successful

2007-02-17 - PORTLAND, United States. Craig Edwards

Tusko the elephant was said to be doing fine after veterinarians at the Oregon Zoo wrapped up surgery to remove an infected tusk. However, they weren’t able to finish the job. So we left a little fragment of his tusk, said lead veterinarian Mitch Finnegan. It’s still up inside his head…we’re going to have to come back at a later date to remove it.


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medical
Tusko, an Asian bull elephant in Oregon Zoo

Portland Zoo elephant Tusko to have tusks removed

2007-02-15 - Portland, Oregon, United States. Vince Patton, kgw.com

The patient is Tusko, a 37-year-old Asian elephant with a broken and chronically infected tusk. The infections have persisted so long, zoo officials have decided they must remove it in a risky surgery. An elephant cage will serve as the operating room and a giant waterbed as the surgical table.


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event

Foster mom is zoo"s 40 millionth visitor since birth of Packy the pachyderm

2006-11-03 - PORTLAND, Oregon, United States.

A Portland-area foster mother yesterday became the Oregon Zoo's 40 millionth visitor since the 1962 birth of Packy, the zoo's famous elephant. They boarded the "Zoomer" shuttle vehicle and were chauffeured to the elephant barn for a behind-the-scenes tour and face-to-trunk meeting with Packy. Packy, the oldest and largest Asian elephant in the United States, stands 10 feet, 4 inches tall at the shoulder and weighs about 14,020 pounds. He is the only second-generation captive bull to breed succes...


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medical
Tusko, an Asian bull elephant in Oregon Zoo

Dentist sought to remove infected elephant tusk

2006-10-18 - Portland, Oregon, United States.

The Oregon Zoo may enlist the skills of one of the nation's leading veterinary dentists to extract a bull elephant's infected tusk, a difficult and uncommon surgery. A 33-year-old Asian elephant named Tusko broke his left tusk 13 years ago at a private California elephant ranch. At the time, a California veterinarian sawed off the fractured portion of tusk flush with the elephant's lip, hoping it would scar over and heal.


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job

Oregon Zoo: ANIMAL KEEPER - ELEPHANTS

2006-09-13 - Portland, Oregon, United States. EAZA

This position will work full-time as an Elephant Keeper and will provide basic care and handling of the Zoos large elephant collection. Performs educational presentations about the animals in their care. Supervision is received from the Elephant Supervisor. Application deadline: 10/12/06. Entry: $15.28; six months: $17.97; one year: $20.66/hour.


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zoo
Sung Suri and her mother Pet in Oregon Zoo Portland

Pet, Oregon Zoos oldest Asian elephant to be euthanized

2006-07-27 - PORTLAND, Oregon, United States. Oregon Zoo Press release

Pet, the Oldest Asian elephant, is experiencing a health crisis, and zoo veterinary and keeper staff have run out of medical treatment options. The 51-year-old elephant and herd matriarch has degenerative arthritis and other age-related conditions, which are not responding to medication any longer.


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event

Oregon Zoo Welcomes Elephant Experts From Around The World

2005-10-10 - Portland, Oregon, United States.


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workshop

THE 26TH ANNUAL ELEPHANT MANAGERS WORKSHOP - October 5-9, 2005

2005-10-05 - Portland, Oregon, United States. Oregon Zoo

Elephant Managares Association (EMA), USA. The emphasis will be placed on bull management but all topics on elephant management are welcome. Pretrip to Point defiance Zoo, Post trip to Wildlife Safari, Winston, Oregon.


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relocation

MOVE OVER PACKY, THERE"S A NEW BULL IN TOWN

2005-06-20 - Portland, Oregon, United States. PR Oregon Zoo

With no small amount of trumpeting and fanfare-on the part of the elephants, that is-the Oregon Zoo welcomed a new addition to its elephant herd today.
Tusko, a 13,500-pound, 33-year-old male Asian elephant, arrived at 6 a.m. and joined Packy and Rama in the zoo's bull elephant group. Upon completion of his required quarantine period, Tusko will make his first public appearance in Oregon in about one month.


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zoo

PACKY PROUD TO BE OREGON ZOO"S 2005 FATHER OF THE YEAR

2005-06-17 - Portland, Oregon, United States.

Packy, the beloved Asian elephant of the Oregon Zoo, has taken home the 2005 title of Zoo Father of the Year. The Zoo Father of the Year award is special for the pachyderm clan because Packy is the only second-generation captive bull elephant in the world to become a successful father. Two of his offspring, Rama and Sung-Surin, still live with him at the zoo. Oregon Zoo Director Tony Vecchio viewed the Zoo Father of the Year vote as an opportunity to educate the public about Asian elephants


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zoo

Free the elephants! Problems plague the Oregon Zoo"s pachyderms

2002-08-28 - Portland, Oregon, United States.

The largest captive land mammal in North America ducks under the doorway. Behind him, a hydraulic steel door wheezes, then slams shut. Packy is isolated, but he is not alone. Outside the cage, attired in work boots and a blue polo shirt, Bob Lee crouches on a stool. Through the steel bars, Packy offers up his foot, and Lee goes to work. He is an elephant pedicurist.


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zoo

OREGON ZOO CELEBRATES PACKY, THE FAMOUS ELEPHANT"S 40th BIRTHDAY THROUGHOUT APRIL

2001-12-12 - Portland, Oregon, United States. PR Oregon Zoo

1962 On April 14th, Portland, Oregon became nationally renowned for the first Asian elephant born in the Western Hemisphere in more than 44 years. The baby elephant named Packy sparked a frenzy of celebration around the world - the famous pachyderm even graced the cover of LIFE magazine. Now, Packy is grown up and turning 40!


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workshop

DOMESTIC ASIAN ELEPHANTS FACE UNCERTAIN FUTURE WITH FOREST INDUSTRY DECLINE Elephant experts meet in Bangkok to find solutions

2001-01-31 - Portland, Oregon, United States. PR Oregon Zoo

Oregon Zoo’s Assistant Director, Mike Keele, will attend the International Workshop on the Domesticated Asian Elephant, February 5-10, in Bangkok, Thailand. Keele serves as the coordinator of the American Zoo and Aquarium Association’s (AZA) elephant species survival plan and holds the studbook for all North American Asian elephants. He hopes to identify ways that North American zoos can contribute to the effort to reverse the decline of domesticated elephants in Asia.


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14 Headlines about Elephants from Portland, Oregon2009-04-18 - Portland, Oregon, United States - Thousands Turn Out for Packy"s 47th Birthday at the Zoo 2009-04-10 - Portland, Oregon, United States - Oregon Zoo Animals Step on the Scale 2007-02-15 - Portland, Oregon, United States - Portland Zoo elephant Tusko to have tusks removed 2006-11-03 - PORTLAND, Oregon, United States - Foster mom is zoo"s 40 millionth visitor since birth of Packy the pachyderm 2006-10-18 - Portland, Oregon, United States - Dentist sought to remove infected elephant tusk 2006-09-13 - Portland, Oregon, United States - Oregon Zoo: ANIMAL KEEPER - ELEPHANTS 2006-07-27 - PORTLAND, Oregon, United States - Pet, Oregon Zoos oldest Asian elephant to be euthanized 2005-10-10 - Portland, Oregon, United States - Oregon Zoo Welcomes Elephant Experts From Around The World 2005-10-05 - Portland, Oregon, United States - THE 26TH ANNUAL ELEPHANT MANAGERS WORKSHOP - October 5-9, 2005 2005-06-20 - Portland, Oregon, United States - MOVE OVER PACKY, THERE"S A NEW BULL IN TOWN 2005-06-17 - Portland, Oregon, United States - PACKY PROUD TO BE OREGON ZOO"S 2005 FATHER OF THE YEAR 2002-08-28 - Portland, Oregon, United States - Free the elephants! Problems plague the Oregon Zoo"s pachyderms 2001-12-12 - Portland, Oregon, United States - OREGON ZOO CELEBRATES PACKY, THE FAMOUS ELEPHANT"S 40th BIRTHDAY THROUGHOUT APRIL 2001-01-31 - Portland, Oregon, United States - DOMESTIC ASIAN ELEPHANTS FACE UNCERTAIN FUTURE WITH FOREST INDUSTRY DECLINE Elephant experts meet in Bangkok to find solutions

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ELEPHANT NEWS was created on 2001 in Munich, and relaunched in Phnom Penh in 2020, with almost 8 000 links to news articles about elephants on the Internet

A number of articles now also have a cross reference to the elephant database, either for individuals elephants and/or to an article about the location holding

In the right column, you can also see if an elephant has birthday today, and follow the link to more facts!

event

Toledo Zoo Shares the Name of Precious New Baby Elephant

2024-03-15 - , United States.

After weeks of voting and thousands of submissions, the Toledo Zoo has officially chosen the name of their precious baby elephant and we're personally thrilled about the news! Ladies and gentleman, Ki...


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Extern Link Read about Kirk in the Elephant Database
Extern Link Read about Toledo Zoo in the Elephant DatabasePress Release: The Toledo Zoo is thrilled to announce the birth of a healthy baby elephant, born to African elephant, Renee.Press Release: The Toledo Zoo is thrilled to announce the birth of a healthy baby elephant, born to African elephant, Renee.
birth

Reid Park Zoo welcomes new baby elephant

2024-03-09 - Tucson, United States.

A baby elephant was born at Reid Park Zoo. The zoo said Semba, the facility’s African elephant matriarch, gave birth to a 265-pound calf around 3:31 a.m. Friday, March 8. Reid Park Zoo said the calf...


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Extern Link Read about Reid Park Zoo in the Elephant Database
event

Baby elephant in Copenhagen named after Thai river

2024-03-04 - Copenhagen, Denmark.

A female baby elephant in Copenhagen Zoo has been named Chin after the Tha Chin river in central Thailand. The elephant was born last week in the Danish zoo. The zookeepers, who take care of the young...


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Extern Link Read about Chin in the Elephant Database
Extern Link Read about Copenhagen Zoo in the Elephant Database
conflict

This elephant misses his mahout, authorities seek police help

2024-02-29 - Alappuzha, India.

Evoor Kannan, the elephant known for his murderous rage and with a history of killing two mahouts is in a bad mood these days. He had been gentle under the care of his former Mahout Sharath Parippally...


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Extern Link Read about Evoor Kannan in the Elephant Database
Extern Link Read about Evoor Major Sri Krishnaswamy Temple in the Elephant Database
birth

Third elephant calf born in Beekse Bergen

2024-02-20 - Hilvarenbeek, Netherlands.

African elephant Punda has become the mother of a healthy elephant calf after a 22-month pregnancy. This is the third calf born in the Safari Park Beekse Bergen k in four months. Never before have thr...


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Extern Link Read about Tendai in the Elephant Database
Extern Link Read about Beekse Bergen Safaripark in the Elephant Database
death

Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium’s elephant calf dies at age 2

2024-02-15 - Pittsburgh, United States.

The zoo said Tsuni died Thursday after a sudden, brief battle with elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV). Her EEHV was detected through routine blood testing on Feb. 8, even though she presente...


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Extern Link Read about Tsuni in the Elephant Database
Extern Link Read about Fairhope Conservation Center in the Elephant Database

Extern relevant Links (external link which opens in new window):
The Elephant endotheliotropic herpes virus


Extern relevant Links (external link which opens in new window):
The Elephant endotheliotropic herpes virus
death

Farewell to Seoul"s oldest elephant passing at age of 59

2024-02-15 - Seoul, South Korea.

The oldest female elephant in South Korea passed away Tuesday at a zoo in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, at the age of 59, zoo officials said Thursday. The female elephant, named Sakura, had suffered fr...


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Extern Link Read about Sakura Jjang in the Elephant Database
Extern Link Read about Seoul Grand Park Zoo in the Elephant Database
birth

A star is born: Baby elephant debuts

2024-01-30 - Bangalore, India.

The Bannerghatta Biological Park is brimming with excitement as it welcomes a delightful new addition—a baby boy elephant calf. This adorable arrival brings the elephant count in the Bannerghatta zo...


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Extern Link Read about unknown in the Elephant Database
Extern Link Read about Bannerghatta Biological Park Zoo in the Elephant Database
death

Guruvayur Kannan, nine-time winner of elephant race, dies at 62

2024-01-27 - Guruvayur, India.

Elephant Kannan, of the Guruvayur Devaswom Elephant Camp, a nine-time winner of the festival-related elephant race, has passed away. His demise was around 5:30 pm on Saturday. The tusker's age at the ...


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Extern Link Read about Guruvayur Kannan in the Elephant Database
Extern Link Read about Guruvayur Devaswom elephant camp in the Elephant Database
poaching

A baby elephant is found dead

2024-01-27 - Koh Nhek, Cambodia.

Villagers found a baby elephant dead in Koh Nhek district, Mondulkiri province in the middle of the forest​ on January 26, 2024, suspected of being shot. Mondulkiri Provincial department of environm...


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evolution

Discoveries: The Evolutionary Edge of Elephant Trunks and Ancient Giants

2024-01-13 - Beijing, China.

A recent study published in the journal eLife has uncovered new findings on the development of dextrous trunks by indigenous elephants. According to Dr. Shi-Qi Wang, a senior author of the research, t...


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poaching

Alleged poaching kills 46-year-old Sumatran elephant in Riau park

2024-01-13 - Pekanbaru, Indonesia.

The Tesso Nilo National Park in Pelalawan District, Riau Province, again lost one of its Sumatran elephants (Elephas maximus sumatranus) after a poacher allegedly killed it for its tusks. The 46-year...


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Extern Link Read about Rahman in the Elephant Database
Extern Link Read about Tesso Nilo WWF-BKSDA Flying Squad camp in the Elephant Database
fossil

Celebration of Elephants: A Must-see New Exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History

2024-01-11 - New York, United States.

In a narrow but sprawling curatorial space at the uptown museum, The Secret World of Elephants, now opened, tells the story of elephant species and their relatives through life-size models, videos, gr...


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Extern Link Read about American Museum of Natural History in the Elephant Database
conflict

Workshop On Handling Human-Wildlife Conflicts

2024-01-11 - Mysore, India.

In response to the escalating threat posed by leopards, elephants and other wild animals in the Mysuru region, specialised task forces have been established to address the situation. A dedicated Leopa...


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death

Los Angeles Zoo mourns loss of 53-year-old Asian elephant Shaunzi

2024-01-04 - Los Angeles, United States.

The Los Angeles Zoo is grieving the death of 53-year-old Asian elephant Shaunzi. Zoo staff observed that Shaunzi was unable to stand up in her exhibit at around 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday night, according t...


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Extern Link Read about Shaunzi in the Elephant Database
Extern Link Read about Los Angeles Zoo in the Elephant Database


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Elephant News

ELEPHANT NEWS

Established 2001
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Locations of visitors to this page Warning: Undefined array key "HTTP_ACCEPT_LANGUAGE" in /customers/1/c/1/elephant-news.com/httpd.www/inc/left.inc.php on line 71 Editor Dan KoehlGuestbookArchive+1995-2023 Latest headlinesBy countriesBy locationsElephant BooksSubmit NewsContact EditorAbout elephant-news.comLink to us!Links to newssitesTo Elephant FactsHeadlines