News Archive

Our male Asian elephant, Spike, looks a little different. The 42-year-old bull recently underwent a routine tusk trim! Get the story from curator Tony Barthel.

They’re spunky, opinionated and enjoy splashing in a cool pool on a hot summer day. Who are these playful pachyderms? Our Asian elephants, Trong Nhi and Nhi Linh! Get to know their personalities and quirks from Elephant Trails keepers Rebecca Riley and Ashley Fortner.

Tune in to the ele-FUN! Watch our 9-year-old Asian elephant, Nhi Linh, play with a weeble-wobble enrichment toy.

Let’s get ready to rumble, trumpet and stomp! Ever since Asian elephants Trong Nhi and Nhi Linh made their debut at the Elephant Trails habitat, they have been busy building relationships with their keepers and herd members. 

When female Asian elephant Swarna joined our herd in May 2014, her routine tooth exams showed an unusual shape and wear pattern on her teeth. Elephant dentistry specialists joined the Zoo’s team to remove the culprit tooth.

How do you create a menu that is pleasing to the palates of giant pandas, flamingos and fishing cats?

The Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute community is mourning the loss of Shanthi, beloved member of its Asian elephant herd and ambassador for her species. After decades of managing and treating Shanthi’s osteoarthritis, animal care staff recently noted that her physical...

The Smithsonian’s National Zoo community is mourning the loss of Ambika, the beloved eldest member of its Asian elephant herd. She was humanely euthanized yesterday, March 27, following a recent and irreversible decline in her health.

As the Smithsonian’s National Zoo rang in the new year, the elephant team celebrated another revolution around the sun for (now) 45-year-old female Asian elephant, Shanthi.

An update on Asian elephant Shanthi's osteoarthritis. 

Female Asian elephant Maharani is turning 29 years old Sunday, July 14, and we are celebrating with her favorite thing—food!

Like many aging animals, Asian elephant Shanthi has osteoarthritis. She was first diagnosed with the chronic condition when she was in her teens. Zoo keepers and veterinarians have spent decades successfully managing her disease with multi-modal therapies.

When Asian elephant Swarna needed her teeth examined, animal keepers tried something that had never been done at the Zoo before. Over two months, they trained the 44-year-old elephant to voluntarily participate in dental radiographs!

In honor of National Zookeeper Week, the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute is featuring some of the dedicated professionals who go above and beyond for the animals in our care.

Asian elephant Spike will receive a celebratory cake as he explores his new habitat in the Elephant Community Center at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute.

The Smithsonian’s National Zoo community is celebrating the arrival of a 36-year-old male Asian elephant named Spike.

If Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI) endocrinologist Janine Brown could make a New Year’s resolution on behalf of North America’s elephants, it would be for them to get in shape. To better understand the role diet and exercise play in elephant health, she studied the animals’...

Ever since 41-year-old Asian elephant Shanthi was diagnosed with arthritis in her front wrists more than a decade ago, animal care staff at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo have been working to minimize the impact of the disease. Staff surmised that arthritic pain led Shanthi to bear weight on her...

Born in Sri Lanka around 1975, Asian elephant Shanthi developed arthritis in her front-left leg more than a decade ago. While there is no cure for arthritis, there are ways to alleviate the symptoms, and our animal care experts have focused on her comfort. We'll be posting the latest information on...