Elephants Tina and Jewel: One Month
Posted at 5:01 pm September 17, 2009 by Stacy ConeryIt’s been one month now since the arrival of Asian elephants Tina and Jewel to Elephant Odyssey at the San Diego Zoo. Their most recent weights show that they have gained almost 200 pounds each! See video. Our goal is to continue offering a variety of foods to facilitate continued weight gain. Both are very vocal and full of personality. Their squeaks and squawks are so different from those of the rest of the herd. Elephants all have sounds as individual and unique as they are. Tina and Jewel are both very willing to participate in training sessions and genuinely enjoy interacting with us.
For those of you not familiar with the special needs area within Elephant Odyssey, where Tina and Jewel are currently living, the floors inside the stalls are made of state-of-the art rubberized flooring. They also have access to a dirt yard where toys and other enrichment devices can be placed. We look forward to introducing them to the rest of the facility and elephants later this year.
Stacy Conery is a keeper at the San Diego Zoo.
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September 17th, 2009 at 5:08 pm
omg 200lbs!!! as you can see they weren’t eatting that much before..this is great Stacy ! thanks for the update
September 17th, 2009 at 5:16 pm
Thanks for the update, Stacy. Sounds like the girls are thoroughly enjoying elephant “heaven” and their big weight gain is proof. Since they were rescued circus elephants it seems logical that they are accustomed to interacting with humans and are probably very happy that they have a choice to do what they are asked to do or not. They are responding the the loving respect they are being given. I am sure they will ultimately fit in very well with the rest of the herd. Ranchipur will enjoy his non-breeding harem when he is not in musth.
September 17th, 2009 at 5:35 pm
so happy to hear that tina and jewel are doing so well and gaining much needed weight! it just goes to show you that they are getting enough food and good nutrition now! I hope they continue to show progress in their new surroundings. ( I’m sure they will! ) great work to all of you that are involved with the care and well being of these wonderful elephants!! thanks for the progress report!
September 17th, 2009 at 5:55 pm
It makes me cry when I read they’ve gained so much weight because it speaks to how much they were lacking in their lives before. I’m thrilled they are doing so well, thank you for taking such loving care of them.
September 17th, 2009 at 6:21 pm
Hi! I just made a comment about Tina and Jewel doing well on another elephant article page, and I’m glad that I have read this article updating Tina and Jewel’s progress. WOW!!! 200 pound weight gain!! Remarkable improvement for the both of them! I didn’t really realize that they were that much underweight when they got to SDZ. I wonder what their weights were when they came in on the first day?
Great job, you all! Looking forward to more updates about Tina and Jewel, especially when they meet the other seven EO ellies! That’ll be fun!!
Chari Mercier
St. Pete, FL
Moderator’s note: The animal care staff at the Elephant Care Center weighs the two large pachyderms on a weekly basis. Jewel weighed 6,407 pounds when she arrived at the Zoo. Tina weighed 7,381 pounds at that time. The elephants are weighed by asking them to walk onto and stand on a large platform scale. On September 14, Jewel and Tina weighed 6,591 pounds and 7,627 pounds respectively.
September 17th, 2009 at 7:07 pm
Are the girls in better health with the additional weight gain? I read one of the girls had a dental problem, will SDZ be able to help with that? Thank you for keeping us posted on these lovely ladies.
September 17th, 2009 at 8:00 pm
I’m so glad that these precious elephants have found such good care.
September 17th, 2009 at 8:11 pm
Stacy, thanks for the update. Tina and Jewel have certainly responded overwhelmingly to the expert care they have received since arriving. I echo Margaret’s assessment of the situation. I deeply regret that these wonderful animals received such poor care while in Texas (or anywhere!). It really upset me when I read about their discovery in our local news sources. When I learned they would be sent to a zoo, I made a wish that it would be San Diego, simply because you all are the best. Thank you for the loving care you have given them and all the elephants there.
September 17th, 2009 at 9:38 pm
Thanx for the update on the girls. Glad they are doing well, then again, they’re at the SDZ. =)
September 17th, 2009 at 11:58 pm
It’s absolutely fantastic how well these two elephants are doing. Thank you SDZ for taking this lovely pair in when they needed help.
September 18th, 2009 at 8:30 am
Thanks, moderator, for giving us the actual weights on Tina and Jewel. That gives me an idea of where they started at when they got to SDZ and where they are at now. Do the keepers have set goal weights for Tina and Jewel?
Just got on the ellie cam, and no ellies out in the yard yet. Will check the cam later on to see them. Their pool time late yesterday afternoon was fun to watch!
Keep up the great work with the EO ellies, you all!
Chari Mercier
St. Pete, FL
September 18th, 2009 at 10:16 am
Thank you so very much for the latest update on Tina and Jewel, two extraordinary ladies. Having been involved this year in the campaign to save them, I have been following their travels to circuses across the country since Massachusetts earlier this year, and I know the horrible lives they were leading prior to that, based on the years of chronological history I have read. Thank you, SDZ, for giving them beautiful lives.
September 18th, 2009 at 12:39 pm
The girls are beautiful. That is great they are gaining weight. Thanks for all you do to help out these two special ladies.
September 18th, 2009 at 12:57 pm
I am sure these two girls think that they are in heaven as Margaret #2 said. With all the tender care and proper nutrition that they have been given they will flourish under your care. Thank you! They looked quite content and cooperative in the newest video.
With the state of the art of Elephant Odyssey, just curious if you have keepers/staff from other zoos that check out SDZ’s facilities?
Moderator’s note: In the zoo world, we all keep tabs on each other and share what we’ve learned!
September 18th, 2009 at 7:05 pm
Just got on the ellie cam at around 10:50pm EDT, saw 2 mule deers, then the cam swung around to one of the elephants eating some hay. The 2 deers look very comfy in that ellie yard eating some grass. With the mule deer in the yard with the ellies, it looks somewhat like the savanna of Africa with these 2 types of animals together in one yard. What’s the latest on the 3 pregnant mother elephants, and how are they progressing? Any due dates on any of them yet? Let us know about the moms, ok?
Gonna go and check back on the pandacam. Mom and baby are out of the den again having a nite under the stars!
Chari Mercier
St. Pete, FL
September 18th, 2009 at 7:12 pm
Me again! Just saw the balloon ride on the ellie cam tonite! Also saw the balloon ride on the cam a couple of days ago! Those balloon riders must be having fun!
I have a question that I have been meaning to ask you, and I hope that you can answer it. During the nite, do all of the elephants stay outside during the nite to roam around, eat some grass, and sleep under the stars? Or, do the keepers round them all up and have them in the elephant house for the nite? Just wondering because when I get on the cam after a certain time of the nite (California time), that elephant yard is pitch black with only a few lights showing! You can’t see an ellie or a mule deer on this cam at nite at all! Hope you have an answer for me about that. Curious, as usual!
Chari Mercier
St. Pete, FL
September 19th, 2009 at 8:02 am
Today is our sweet Kami’s second birthday.
Happy 2nd Birthday Kami!
Have an awesome day and enjoy your birthday treats.
September 19th, 2009 at 11:50 am
Wonderful to hear that these two elephants are responding well to the TLC they’re getting now. Hope that any medical issues they have as a consequence of their previous unfortunate situation can be swiftly corrected.
September 19th, 2009 at 11:50 am
I saw the video of Tina and Jewel weighing on the scale yesterday, and it was such a joy to find out that they have gained weight and some strides in becoming healthier! Thanks for your care, SDZ and staff!
September 20th, 2009 at 4:17 pm
A little late, but Happy 2nd Birthday to Kamile! Hope she had a very nice day with her mom, brothers and sisters, and aunts with some presents with snackies inside for her to smell and eat!
Just on the ellie cam, and I missed another pool time session when I saw one of the adult ellies walk out of the big pool! Will try to catch them in the pool tomorrow on the cam!
Chari Mercier
St. Pete, FL
September 20th, 2009 at 5:30 pm
Thanks for the updates on the WAP ellies “Meet the Elephants” page.
September 21st, 2009 at 9:50 am
Its so wonderful to hear that the girls are doing so well. Thank you so much SDZ staff for making the lives of these two beauties so much more comfortable. They totally deserve it all. Can’t wait to hear more updates about them and the rest of the elephant herd!!!
September 21st, 2009 at 6:46 pm
It’s so fabulous that they’re there and able to thrive. Obviously their lives prior to this were not the best. Can’t wait to see them in Elephant Odyssey soon!
September 22nd, 2009 at 8:17 am
#16 Chari
Yes, our elephants stay outside to roam around, eat, and sleep under the stars. However, we do get some chilly nights, and during those nights the elephants have access to a heated barn but are not kept in; they can choose to be outside or inside.
Sometimes we keep elephants in a separate large yard that also has its own heated barn, and this is usually when we are expecting a new calf. Next year, both elephant yards should be joined, and we will have almost 7 acres and 4 heated barns, which will allow the elephants even more space and more options. Good news, because we are expecting three new babies next year!
September 22nd, 2009 at 4:58 pm
Hi, WAP elephant keeper! Thanks for answering my question about the ellies’ access to the yards at nite and the heated indoor barns. Read that the 2 yards will be joining together, and that is great news with 3 new baby ellies coming in 2010! Have another question for you: do you have any due dates for the 3 elephant moms for when they will be delivering their babies in 2010? Would like to have an idea so that I can mark my 2010 calender! All of the elephant aunts are going to be busy with these 3 new babies next year! They already have their hands full with the other ellie kids! More fun to come! I’ll be praying for safe deliveries for all 3 ellie moms.
Chari Mercier
St. Pete, FL
Moderator’s note: We’ll just have to keep you in suspense, Chari
September 23rd, 2009 at 8:21 am
Not sure which girl is which, but the smaller one appears to have sunken areas above both eyes (as if her forehead is caved in). Is this due to being undernourished? Will it fill out as she gains more weight?
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:40 pm
Aawww shucks, Moderator! Don’t do that to me!! I guess I’ll wait until the vets have a better idea of when those 3 ellie moms will have their babies! 2010 is a long time to wait, tho!
Just popped on the ellie cam, and I was able to recognize 3 elephants based on sizes walking past the cam location—Umngani, the mom, and her 2 kids, Khosi and Gadze. Gadze was the smallest of the 3 ellies, and the 2 calves followed their mom, so I was able to ID them! Little Gadze is really keeping up with both his mom and sis now. Noticed that the big pool is loaded up with water again. Yesterday, the pool was drained down to just a little bit of water, so I think that the yard guys did a cleanup on the pool.
Well, gonna go and check the cam again. Will check back in later!
Chari Mercier
St. Pete, FL
September 24th, 2009 at 5:32 am
New update on Tina & Jewel please!
Moderator’s Note: We’re working on it; stay tuned!
September 28th, 2009 at 10:30 am
Have Tina & Jewel been out in the yard yet? If not, how come? If so, were they welcomed by the others? I would love to know if and/or when you plan to release them out to the yard so I can observe. They’re probably the only two I could identify. They totally deserve some pool time, don’t you think?!?
Moderator’s note: We are hoping to have a new post about Tina and Jewel soon.
September 29th, 2009 at 8:25 am
How are Tina and Jewel? Any news yet on any medical problems?
Moderator’s note: We hope to have an update to post.
September 29th, 2009 at 4:52 pm
Myself and many others love Tina and Jewel we fought for 2 years with letters to USDA to confiscate them from there horrible situation and they have been at your wonderful Zoo for 1 month and we are all anxious to hear they are finally wandering outside with the other elephants and also are you planning on keeping them there permanently?
We are all continuing to write letters to USDA on Queenie (Tina and Jewel long lost friend) and pray that she will be confiscated soon too.
Glad to hear Tina and Jewel are gaining weight successfully as they really were underweight.
October 1st, 2009 at 11:53 am
Ditto what ilovethewildlife said. Please let us know if Tina and Jewel are okay. I also was one of the many, many people who fought for Tina and Jewel through letters and phone calls (and still am fighting for Queenie) and was so very grateful when they came to SDZ for care. Any update on them would mean so much to all of us. Thank you.
October 18th, 2009 at 1:36 pm
How are Tina and Jewel doing now?
November 8th, 2009 at 3:29 pm
Hi my name is Adam Hill. I was responsible for Tina and Jewell from 2000 to 2005. In 2006 They were sold. I didn’t own them I just worked for the person who owned them. I know all there history previous to the sale. If any one wants to know anythig about Tina & Jewell just ask on this blog. I am so glad they are doing so well at the zoo. As far as Boo. She wasn’t an illegal sale and she is an easy keeper so unless some one catches physical abuse on tape she won’t be going any where. I wrote on the other blog but for some reason I can’t find it. Adam Hill