On October 3, 2009, Msholo, an African elephant from the Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa, Florida, arrived to join the current herd at the San Diego Zoo’s Wild Animal Park. Msholo is one of the 11 elephants rescued from a scheduled cull in Africa’s Swaziland in 2003. He came from the Hlane Game Reserve in Swaziland; other elephants from that same reserve now living here at the Wild Animal Park are Swazi, Umoya, and Umngani.
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With the new year, there is a whole lot going on around the San Diego Zoo’s Elephant Odyssey (see previous post, Elephants Tina and Jewel: Out and About). We are continuing to introduce the elephants from the Wild Animal Park to those at the Zoo.
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First, let me say Happy New Year to everyone! Since Jewel’s dental procedure, we have had a lot going on around the Conrad Prebys Elephant Care Center at the San Diego Zoo’s Elephant Odyssey. Jewel and her best buddy, Tina, spend most of their days out in Yard 2 (not visible to the public) or Yard 3 (near the Elephant Care Center). Tina, always the bold explorer, easily moves around the new areas investigating everything, while Jewel is more cautious and takes her time. By the third day, they both moved around Yard 3 with comfort. On January 6, they got to spend their first day exploring Yard 1 (the largest area with the pool). Having acclimated to other yards, they both seemed comfortable fairly quickly. Tina even stepped into the pool and splashed around a bit.
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What might sound like the opening of a joke, “An elephant goes to the dentist,” was serious business last week at the San Diego Zoo. Jewel, an Asian elephant, had a lower molar that wasn’t wearing properly and was hindering her eating.

So, to remedy this, and to get her back to eating properly, the San Diego Zoo brought a dentist to her. Well, actually, we brought in an entire team. See video
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As I write this update, I am amazed that we have been at the new Elephant Odyssey facility at the San Diego Zoo for six months already. Where has the time gone? The elephants have done amazingly well adjusting to the new Elephant Care Center. All seven come into the stalls daily for footwork, baths, and any needed medical procedures. The Elephant Care Center also has two static chutes and an elephant restraint chute. We use these areas just like the stalls, but they give us better access to certain parts of the elephant’s body. Most of the elephants have adjusted to moving in and out of these areas with ease.
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I am happy to say that the day we thought might never arrive has come: elephants Tina and Jewel are cleared from quarantine. No more sanitizing mats, changing our clothes, and washing our hands every few minutes. YEAH! However, don’t expect to see them out right away; the process of introducing them to the rest of the San Diego Zoo’s herd at Elephant Odyssey will take some time. (See post, Elephants Tina and Jewel: Training Progress)
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Tina and Jewel, the Zoo’s newest Asian elephant residents, continue to do well here in San Diego (see previous post, Elephants Tina and Jewel: One Month). They have both completed a full physical, which includes having their eyes checked, neck palpated, and blood drawn, as well as other things.
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The next time you visit the Wild Animal Park, make sure to head to the Elephant Overlook first thing in the morning. Chances are you will hear a whole lot of trumpeting going on. You may be wondering who is making such a racket so early in the morning? Well, it is our very own African elephant calf, Ingadze. At 5.5 months of age, he is testing out his vocal chords and making sure everyone knows he is here! He is growing up fast and learning how to talk the talk and walk the walk of an African elephant.
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It’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.
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As many of you know, I have been working at the San Diego Zoo for nearly nine years now. Prior to stepping into the Elephant Odyssey Ambassador position (see post, What is an Elephant Odyssey Ambassador), I had worked as a keeper in the Children’s Zoo at the San Diego Zoo. Being a keeper is a dream job: working hands on with very unique animals from around the world and being able to share my experiences with our guests is more enjoyable than you can imagine.
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