AZA Elephant TAG/SSP Elephant Information
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Meet AZA's Elephants
 Meet Oklahoma City Zoo & Botanical Garden's first Asian elephant calf!
The Oklahoma City Zoo & Botanical Garden is proud to announce the first elephant birth in the Zoo's history! Asha, a first-time mother and 16-year-old Asian elephant, delivered a healthy 304 pound female calf Friday night, April 15 at 9:13 PM inside the Oklahoma City Zoo's new Elephant Habitat. The delivery was attended by the Zoo's elephant care team and assisted by the Zoo's veterinary staff. Asha's sister, Chandra, watched the birth from afar. The baby is yet to be named.
The Zoo’s elephant care team, including veterinary staff and a core group of Zoo volunteers have been monitoring Asha closely for the past year. Over the past six weeks the Zoo began a 24-hour birth watch to record behavioral information as part of the Elephant Birth Wellness Program. Weekly ultrasounds to monitor the baby’s health and blood work to gauge the mother’s progesterone level began shortly thereafter. A partnership with the INTEGRIS Bennett Fertility Institute allowed for daily progesterone tests which helped the Zoo pinpoint a 3 to 5 day window for the birth.
As an accredited institution of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA), the Oklahoma City Zoo remains committed to the long-term survival of Asian elephants in the North American population and support programs in Asia to help elephants in the wild. The Oklahoma City Zoo participates in AZA's Species Survival Plan (SSP), a cooperative breeding program to help ensure genetic diversity and demographic stability in North American zoos.
Updates on the progress of Asha and her infant will be posted on the Zoo's website at http://okczoo.com and on Facebook at http://facebook.com/okczoobg.
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