Raja the elephant has been one of the biggest points of interest — literally and figuratively — at the St. Louis Zoo for many years. Now, he’s moving away.
The zoo introduced Thursday that the male Asian elephant born on the zoo nearly 31 years in the past will be relocated to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in Ohio, probable in approximately a year. The desire is that he’ll bond with 4 women in Columbus, breed, and mentor a younger male there.
Raja became the primary elephant ever born on the St. Louis Zoo, and the ten,000-pound animals’ birthday on Dec. 27 is a big deal each 12 months, complete with treats, songs and plenty of site visitors signing an oversized birthday card.
“This news is bittersweet for anyone,” Michael Macek, director of the St. Louis Zoo, said in a declaration. “We recognise Raja is pricey to his fans and to the Zoo circle of relatives and he’ll be overlooked right here, however we recognize that is for the fine for Raja and the survival of this species.”
Asian elephants are endangered, with fewer than 50,000 in the wild, in line with the sector flora and fauna Fund. Habitat loss and poaching are blamed for their plight. they're the biggest land mammal on the Asian continent.
The association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Asian Elephant Species Survival Plan endorsed the move of Raja, the St. Louis Zoo said. the program seeks to manipulate the Asian elephant populace in North the united states and maximize the health, health and genetic diversity of the elephants, the zoo stated.
Raja is the daddy of the only 3 lady Asian elephants of breeding age in St. Louis. the alternative 3 females there are too old to breed, and one of them is Raja’s mother. In October, Rani, a 27-12 months-antique lady Asian elephant, died after becoming agitated when a small loose canine controlled to get into the zoo and disillusioned the herd.
Macek stated the flow of Raja mirrors the natural behavior of untamed elephants. whilst females boost the calves and live in multi-generational circle of relatives businesses, men stay alone or in small bachelor herds. They breed, then pass on, Macek said.
“Raja moving to Columbus provides an surroundings where he and others can naturally develop their families, that is an important aspect to their well being,” Macek said.
The circulate is expected to arise in past due 2024 or early 2025. when Raja leaves, the St. Louis Zoo can have room for a brand new male. The zoo said that male is tentatively anticipated to be a fifteen-year-old named Samudra from the Oregon Zoo in Portland.
meanwhile, Raja’s sixteen-yr-old daughter Jade is pregnant along with her first calf and due to deliver delivery at across the time that Raja leaves — Asian elephants are typically pregnant for as much as 22 months. it is going to be the primary elephant calf born on the zoo thru artificial insemination. the daddy is housed at the Denver Zoo.
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