Two new elephants arrived at the Little Rock Zoo on Monday after an overnight trip on a tractor-trailer from their former home at the Niabi Zoo in Coal Valley, Ill.
An expert hired by the Illinois zoo to conduct a nationwide search for new homesfor the female elephants - Sophie, 44, and Babe, 38 - selected Little Rock after determining the zoo had the resources and expertise needed to address the unique health needs of aging female elephants, the Little Rock Zoo said in its announcement.
On Monday, zoo staff members began gradually introducing Sophie and Babe to Zina, 53, who became the zoo’s only elephant when Jewell, 62, was euthanized after she couldn’t recover from a fall in September.
“They’re in what’s called a ‘howdy’ situation,” said zoo spokesman Susan Altrui, who added that Babe and Sophie will remain together and separate from Zina until staff members are confident they will get along. “They can see each other, they can interact with each other, but they can’t harm each other.”
The Little Rock Zoo’s facilities are only equipped for older female elephants. Male elephants, who become aggressive during mating seasons, require more reinforced pens, Altrui said. And younger female elephants require space to breed and run in a pack, she said.
Because elephants are social animals, Little Rock tries to keep more than one, replenishing its herd through agreements with other zoos that seek to find new homes for older female elephants. Those animals, which have a median life span of about 47 years, have special needs related to strain on their joints and feet that is exacerbated as they age. Zoo staff members employ special exercises, monitoring, diets and veterinary treatments tailored to each animal’s needs, Altrui said.
“The Little Rock Zoo is committed to the highest standards in elephant care and conservation and specializes in handling geriatric female elephants,” Zoo Director Mike Blakely said in the news release.
Sophie and Babe were transported by Feld Entertainment Inc. and the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Center for Elephant Conservation, which moved the elephants free of charge to both zoos. Babe and Sophie are both former Ringling elephants and were donated to Niabi in 2000 and 2003, respectively. The Niabi Zoo recently decided to end its elephant program and find a new home for the two animals.
Alan Roocroft, the expert hired by the Niabi Zoo, selected Little Rock after a site evaluation in which he observed staff members’ behavior, facilities and Zina’s health. Roocroft concluded in his report that the Little Rock Zoo was equipped to deal with Sophie and Babe’s health issues - excess weight and arthritis.
“We were looking for a place where Sophie & Babe could comfortably live out the rest of their lives in a warm climate, under the direction of experienced people, as [short a] distance from Niabi as possible. … I believe we found one in Little Rock Zoo,” he wrote in his report.
That report contrasts with the position of the animal-welfare group In Defense of Animals, which recently asked the Little Rock Zoo to find a new home for Zina in a news release that called its facilities “outdated and cramped.”
That release came after Jewell’s carcass tested positive for latent tuberculosis in a necropsy. Altrui said it’s common for elephants to be exposed to tuberculosis before arriving in zoos and that the Little Rock Zoo performed necessary routine tests after Jewell and Zina tested positive for tuberculosis antibodies.
Roocroft said in his report that Little Rock has improved its facilities in recent years and that aging elephants in the care of humans don’t always use their full enclosure, responding instead to the direction of trainers to exercise.
“While available space is important to consider to an extent, the management program for the animals is even more vital to their well-being,” Roocroft’s report says.
Arkansas, Pages 7 on 10/22/2013