Original post SL 25 Sept 2010:

National Zoo Artificially Inseminates Asian Elephant

In an attempt to further conservation efforts for the Asian elephant, veterinarians at the Smithsonian National Zoo have performed a series of artificial insemination procedures on Shanthi, a 34-year old Asian elephant.

http://www.ouramazingplanet.com/national-z...-elephant-0574/

Original post S4E 26 Sept 2010:

"... to further conservation efforts ..."

The only genuine conservation efforts with regard to protecting and preserving the Asian elephants is the front-line conservation of threatened wild habitats and their free-roaming wild elephant families.

Anything else calling itself "conservation" is a cosmetic exercise on the part of zoos to justify the captivity of elephants for display to the paying public, and to fund the lucrative captive breeding industry.

My $10.00.

Original post 24 Oct 2010:

"Meet the Elephants"
Video of the elephants at the new Elephant Trails exhibit:

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/multimedia/v...-Elephants.html

Original post by: ammcomms 20 March 2011:

Ever wondered what $52 mill will buy you? Wonder no more! The National Zoo's Elephant Trails exhibit!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ammcomms/sets...57626308041030/

Original post S4E 21 March 2011:

Thanks for posting these photos of the new exhibit.

Designed by humans, primarily for humans.

Original post SL 19 Aug 2011:

Video ...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/hea...VZOJ_video.html

Original post 27 Aug 2011:

Zoo mystery: How did apes and birds know quake was coming?

One of the zoo’s elephants made a low-pitched noise as if to communicate with two other elephants.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/hea...XQcJ_story.html

Shanthi Makes Musical Debut

Video ...


http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/AsianEle...hiharmonica.cfm

Another report - AP copyright:

Elephant plays tunes on harmonica at National Zoo

http://www.kansascity.com/2012/05/02/35888...s-a-talent.html

No respect for Kandula in this video:

National Zoo Elephant Made To Do Tricks

Poor 10 year old Kandula is made to do tricks at The National Zoo in Washington DC. At least the keeper admits "we don't have tons of room here at the zoo". Even though Kandula is done performing for the moment he continues to do every trick he knows so he can go on a walk. Incredibly sad!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fp82GR9cy2I

Another report of Shanthi "playing" the harmonica.

A Pachyderm's Ditty Prompts An Elephantine Debate

When one of the residents of the National Zoo in Washington recently revealed her love of music to zookeepers there, some ears perked up. Shanthi, a 36-year-old Asian elephant loves playing (with) her harmonica.

"She's just so interested in finding ways to make interesting noises," says elephant keeper Debbie Flinkman. "If a lock makes noise she'll flip the lock repetitively. She will blow across the top of toys that we have drilled holes in."

And when Flinkman tied a harmonica to the wall in Shanthi's enclosure, the elephant wouldn't stop blowing in it.

"It's not usually a long ditty but it always ends in this really big sort of fanfare at the end," Flinkman says, "this big blowout."

http://www.npr.org/2012/08/26/159998889/a-...phantine-debate

Smithsonian to reopen with no major storm damage

http://seattletimes.com/html/entertainment...mithsonian.html

AP copyright article so I cannot quote from it, but it says that the animals at the National Zoo had no problems during the storm.

National Zoo ReOpened After Sandy
http://www.kktv.com/news/other/headlines/N...-176781071.html

Animal "art" note cards including one by Asian female Ambika:

http://www.ncaazk.org/store/notecards/

And Now, Elephants Being Bathed at the National Zoo

This morning the zoo again opted to shed light on some of the things that happen behind the scenes, live-tweeting the daily baths of its three Asian elephants. The tweets are all below, but here are a few facts we gleaned from the morning ritual:


http://dcist.com/2013/01/and_now_elephants..._national_z.php

A comment posted today on another discussion board states that The final elephant yard looks close to completion. Although it looks bare and I have no idea why it took them this long to complete it.

The new elephant center will give the elephants "ample space for socializing, training and playing, and [will give] visitors the chance to get an up-close view of these incredible animals," according to a zoo statement.

http://chevychase.patch.com/articles/eleph...hrough-march-11

Elephant Trails

The newest exhibit at the Zoo opens to the public on March 23 at noon.

http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/AsianEle...phantTrails.cfm

Acknowledging a Facebook friend for this link - "Love the contrast between the merry captions and the bleak reality of the exhibit."

Elephant Diaries
by Elephant Keepers Debbie Flinkman and Andrea Pohlman
January 2013

http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/AsianEle...hotoblog1.cfm#1

Posted comments on a pro-zoo discussion board indicate that Shanthi (37) has been subjected to AI by Hildebrandt and team.

And this reply:
Zoos typically do a swirl of semen for the maximum chance of conception. In this case Sneezy (Tulsa), and several other bulls (I believe one from Portland, so Rama or Tusko?).

The German team will return in five months when the fetus can be easily be detected through sonogram. Although the zoo does have the best endocrine analysis lab in the world... So they should know if she's carrying or not long before the check up.

Photos ...

At the National Zoo, more room for elephants



http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/at-the...ry.html#photo=1

Report:

Zoo’s elephants get spacious new ‘community center’

“We could house eight to 10 elephants here, easily,” she said. “We have two spots for males to be completely independent. But the entire facility is bull-proof.”

Indeed, the new enclosure, for all its sun-filled openness, is made with concrete doors, heavy steel girders and thick stainless-steel cable.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/zoos-e...fcb4_story.html

Another report with a slideshow:

National Zoo's Elephant Trails Gives Animals More Room To Roam

The Elephant Trails, 8,943 square meters of space, is large enough to hold between eight and ten adult Asian elephants and their offspring. The area consists of indoor and outdoor components -- animals have the option to sleep indoors or outside.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/19/n..._n_2902892.html

8,943 square metres = 2.210 acres

Maddening (copyright) article - focus on breeding, space an irrelevance ...

D.C. Zoo Opening Elephant Center After $56M Overhaul

http://washington.cbslocal.com/2013/03/21/...r-56m-overhaul/

Animals: National Zoo's elephants get a new home

... each animal reacted differently to the new space. Shanthi, a 38-year-old female, walked right in and "explored every nook and cranny" ... Ambika, a 65-year-old female, was very cautious the first day, not sure if the new space was safe ... Kandula, Shanthi's 11-year-old son, had a funny way of dealing with the unknown. "He backed his way in" ...

http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/news/s...ew-home-681667/

National Zoo to get new Asian elephant

The National Zoo announced Friday that it is acquiring a new Asian elephant from the zoo in Baton Rouge.

The elephant is a female name Bozie . She is 37. Zoo officials said her companion, Judy, died recently. Elephants are herd animals and cannot be left alone.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/nation...7d84_story.html