Previous "Part 2" So far, we've discussed the initiative of "introducing new elephants from overseas." In this final installment, let's consider "breeding and increasing the elephant population." Until 2000, Asian Elephant had not been bred in zoos in Japan. What makes elephant breeding so difficult? Let's look at the reasons one by one.
① It is difficult to determine when a female is in heat. Female elephants go into estrus approximately once every 3 to 4 months. Zoos keep males and females separately, but they need to be housed together when the females are in estrus. While the timing of estrus can be predicted from hormone levels in the elephant's blood, drawing blood from an elephant is not easy. It can lead to serious accidents, so training is necessary to ensure that blood can be drawn regularly. Also, predictions can be wrong, so it is important for animal keeper to observe the elephant's behavior and not overlook even small changes.
The mating of Ati and Uthai
② Few zoos keep them in pairs. "Part 1" As mentioned earlier, there are only 15 zoos in Japan that keep male and female elephants of breeding age together. In the past, when zoos first started keeping elephants, many zoos kept females because they were easier to care for than males, and this is still one of the reasons why there are so few males today. Furthermore, with the aging population, the number of zoos keeping only one animal has increased. In addition, as a consequence of not breeding for many years, some females in their 20s develop physical abnormalities and stop going into heat. To prevent this, it is necessary to successfully breed them at the youngest possible age.
③ Moving elephants is difficult. Even in zoos where elephants are kept in pairs, breeding will not occur if the male and female are incompatible. In such cases, breeding may be possible by moving the animals to another zoo and forming a new pair, but this is not easy with elephants. Moving elephants requires very large transport crates and trucks, resulting in high transportation costs. Furthermore, a long preparation period is needed to train the elephants to enter the crates on their own. Additionally, zoos that only keep one elephant may be reluctant to part with such a popular animal.
Scenes from the transport of Asian Elephant
We have explained the challenges ① to ③ above, and we have continued our efforts to solve these problems. Perhaps as a result, since 2000, we have seen 13 cases of Asian Elephant breeding, which was unprecedented. Factors contributing to this include improvements in training techniques, the active practice of housing young males and females together, and the increased movement of elephants between zoos, overcoming difficulties. Our elephant Uthai is currently pregnant and is expected to give birth this fall. We will make thorough preparations so that we can show you the baby elephant, and above all, so that Uthai can give birth safely.
To ensure that the day never comes when elephants disappear from zoos, we will continue our efforts to breed and raise elephants in cooperation with zoos both domestically and internationally.
August 12th is "World Elephant Day," and in this three-part series, we've provided detailed information about elephants in zoos. We hope you will continue to support Tokyo Metropolitan Zoos and zoos throughout Japan.
I want to know! The environment and challenges surrounding wild elephants. WWF offers a wealth of information to help you learn more about elephants. From challenging elephant quizzes that even zoo staff struggle with, to videos of wild elephants, and essential information for protecting elephants, there's something for everyone. Be sure to check out our staff blog!
Special video This special video was filmed to coincide with World Elephant Day. It offers an in-depth look at elephants from the perspective of animal keeper inside the elephant enclosure. Please check it out!
[Ueno Zoo] We tried explaining Asian Elephant from an extremely close distance (Tokyo Zoo Net YouTube Channel)
