NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance
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NEWS RELEASE
Two Juvenile Male African Elephants Take Up Residence at the San Diego Zoo
One Elephant Traveled from the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, the Other from Reid Park Zoo in Tucson
SAN DIEGO (April 23, 2021) – Two juvenile male African elephants, Tsandizkle (meaning “beloved”) and Inhlonipho (meaning “courteous”) have taken up residence at the San Diego Zoo’s Harry and Grace Steele Elephant Odyssey habitat. The males, who arrived from the Reid Park Zoo in Tucson and the San Diego Zoo Safari Park earlier this week, are adjusting well to their new surroundings.
Tsandizkle and Inhlonipho, ages 10 and 9, respectively, will be incrementally introduced to one another; it is expected that they will begin to form a bachelor group, as they would likely do in their native habitat.
Following long-term studies of elephant herds, accredited zoos have begun creating herds of elephants under human care that mimic the primary social groupings of matriarchal and bachelor groups. Male herds have a fluid social structure in which they alternate between living alone, being with bull groups of mixed composition, and being with female groups.
Caring for endangered African and Asian elephants in a manner allowing them to maintain natural social systems is imperative for their ongoing health and wellbeing, and important for us to continue to prioritize and support.
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About San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance
San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance is a nonprofit international conservation leader, committed to inspiring a passion for nature and creating a world where all life thrives. The Alliance empowers people from around the globe to support their mission to conserve wildlife through innovation and partnerships. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance supports cutting-edge conservation and brings the stories of their work back to the San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park—giving millions of guests, in person and virtually, the opportunity to experience conservation in action. The work of San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance extends from San Diego to strategic and regional conservation “hubs” across the globe, where their strengths—via their “Conservation Toolbox,” including the renowned Wildlife Biodiversity Bank—are able to effectively align with hundreds of regional partners to improve outcomes for wildlife in more coordinated efforts. By leveraging these tools in wildlife care and conservation science, and through collaboration with hundreds of partners, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance has reintroduced more than 44 endangered species to native habitats. Each year, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance’s work reaches over 1 billion people in 150 countries via news media, social media, their websites, educational resources and the San Diego Zoo Kids channel, which is in children’s hospitals in 13 countries. Success is made possible by the support of members, donors and guests to the San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park, who are Wildlife Allies committed to ensuring All Life Thrives.