Thanks for the tip! It really is very calming, not only seeing the elephants napping so peacefully on soft grass in a safe place but also hearing the birds sing too. Anyone know if lullabies work for elephants too?

So you got to know the herd for a long time before moving them here? Cool! Did they get a chance to know you too before the move, or would that have interfered with capturing them, or soemthing else?

Thanks for clearing that up! Also, I misread Jeff’s comment earlier and got “But not if Musi has anything to say about it!” out of it.

Now I’m curious, did you know about Ndulamitsi’s pregnancy shortly after you got her, or was Vus’musi more of a surprise? Eden Ostrich World in Cumbria, England got a Shetland pony in 2000 and had no idea she was pregnant until one day months later they found a half-zebra filly in her paddock.

Jeff Andrews, elephant care manager, responds: We knew of Ndlula’s pregnancy six months before she left Africa, so Musi was no surprise. In fact, he was born only three days after our predicted birth date.

One note, NZP trains their elephants to lie down for a daily bath, and they actually turn over from one side to the other. They also get them to lie down outside during their daily training session for visitors to watch. So, it is obvious that lying down for a few hours at a time is perfectly safe and natural thing for elephants to do.

I am so excited at the pregnancy news! Mabu sure has been a busy bull!!! Is Swazi Musi’s mother, or has she not had a calf at WAP yet? I don’t recall her having a calf when the others were born. It is great to have Musi in the genetic mix because other than his mother, he doesn’t have the same genes. All the more reason he may get to stay and one of the other males may go somewhere else in 7 or 8 years. At the birthrate you are experiencing, you will need all the room in both African and Asian elephant areas at WAP. Is one of them being kept separate for potential separation needs in the future? I recall that when the Asian elephants were moved to Elephant Odyssey, a note was included that sometime in the future a passageway between the two formerly separate areas would be built to allow the herd more room to roam. One of the things I love most about WAP is the wide open areas for the animals to live as close to normal an existance as possible. I know of no other captive environment where the animal enclosures are so spacious and natural, outside of maybe some refuges in Africa and Asia.

Moderator’s note: Musi’ mother is Ndula. Swazi is expecting her first calf in 2010. Access for the elephants from the African exhibit to the “old” Asian elephant exhibit should be ready by the end of the year.

Thanks for your response! Also, I just realized that even if he can’t choose his next herd himself he’d still have mate choice within that herd (and the females would too, although their choices would be limited to either Vus’musi or no male).

“Emily, imagine my surprise when I pulled up the blog this morning and saw that you had responded to each post with details and answers to the questions. Thank You, thank you, thank you. You have certainly gone above and beyond the job requirements. We posters are a hungry lot and we love details, details, details.”

YES.

“Ndlulamitsi, Swazi, and Umoya are all due in 2010.”

Aha, so my earlier guesses that Swazi was gay, or she’s just not that into Mabhulane, or whatever were wrong.

“Since Musi is not related genetically to the young female calves, will he be kept at the WAP for future breeding?”

How is he not genetically related to them? Don’t they all have the same father?

“Jeff Andrews, Elephant Care Manager, responds: Yes, from a genetic standpoint Musi can breed any of the females other than his mother. But not if Mabu has anything to say about it!”

So even if he wasn’t genetically related to, say, Phakamile they still wouldn’t like each other that way, the same way adoptive siblings still feel like siblings instead of potential sex partners, right?

Moderator’s note: Musi is not Mabu’s son; his mother was already pregnant when she arrived at the Wild Animal Park.

Jeff Andrews, Elephant Care Manager, responds: Yes, from a genetic standpoint Musi can breed any of the females other than his mother. But not if Mabu has anything to say about it! Socially, Musi won’t be able to breed for many years. And he’s only five years old. We have many years to decide how to handle that situation. For now, we have no plans to move him or separate any of the calves from their mothers.