....Female Elephant Arrives at The Toledo Zoo....

February 11, 2010


Toledo, Ohio—The Toledo Zoo has received a 25-year-old female African elephant. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) confiscated the elephant from a private facility and chose The Toledo Zoo to house this elephant, who arrived late in the afternoon on Thursday, February 11. The Zoo’s animal care staff will closely monitor the elephant in her first few days to ensure that she adjusts to her new home. She will then remain in quarantine until she is introduced to The Toledo Zoo’s elephants, 29-year-old Renee and 6-year-old Louie. The elephant is not currently on exhibit, and she will not be until she has been successfully introduced to Louie and Renee.

The private facility that formerly housed the elephant is not accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). While she is in quarantine, she will not be accessible to the media. During this period she will be given a physical exam and the elephant and the staff will become acquainted with one another. The Toledo Zoo will provide updates, including the possibility of media opportunities, as events warrant. The welfare of the elephant is the Zoo’s first priority and her attitude and behavior will determine how quickly events progress.