Asian elephant News

This update was written by elephant keeper Kayleigh Sullivan.  It has been almost a week since Asian elephant Spike arrived at the Elephant Trails habitat. Since then, he has made himself right at home!

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’...

Asian elephants get much less attention than African elephants, but there is less than a tenth as many left in the world. About 500,000 African elephants remain in the wild compared to 30,000 to 50,000 Asian elephants. Out of the two, Asian elephants are more endangered and face multiple threats...

Ever since 42-year-old Asian elephant Kamala arrived at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in May 2014, keeper Amanda Bobyack has helped her settle into her habitat. Part of that adjustment included learning husbandry and medical training behaviors that help Bobyack, her fellow keepers and the vet team...

Why is this Asian elephant wearing a collar? He’s one of four pachyderms whose movements and behaviors are being tracked via satellite! This information helps SCBI scientist John McEvoy and partners understand the causes of human-elephant conflict and find solutions to help animals and people...

The Smithsonian’s National Zoo’s keepers are making their mark and sharing their animal care and husbandry expertise around the globe. Last November, elephant keeper Kayleigh Sullivan spent 10 days at a Wildlife SOS center in Agra, India teaching caretakers—called Mahouts—how to interact with and...

With a FONZ Conservation Grant, Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute scientists are able to understand the family trees of elephants at zoos around the country, as well as answer questions about animal health.

How big does a “weeble-wobble” have to be to withstand the strength of six female Asian elephants? Over the fall 2016 semester, students at MICA, the Maryland Institute College of Art, sought to answer that question. Collaborating with the Smithsonian’s National Zoo’s animal care team, they designed...

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...

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Nicknamed the “Happy Elephant Project,” this groundbreaking three...

The National Zoo's three new female Asian elephants—Kamala (39), Swarna (39) and Maharani (23)—made their public debut in one of the outdoor yards on Elephant Trails for the first time Monday, June 23. After arriving at the Zoo May 23, the elephants spent 30 days in quarantine per standard procedure...