Ajani
Ajani (born August 4, 2000 in Indianapolis, Indiana) is a male African Bush elephant (Loxodonta africana), formerly exhibited as part of a "bachelor herd" of three males at the Birmingham Zoo's Trails of Africa exhibit.
Ajani first male elephant calf born in North America as a result of artificial insemination. He was also the first bull elephant ever at that zoo, weighing in at 252 pounds. His name is Nigerian word meaning "he who wins the struggle."
Ajani, as an aging male, was beginning to be pushed out of the female-dominated herd at the Indianapolis Zoo. This social separation is typical of wild elephants, and the further study of "bachelor herds" is part of the Birmingham Zoo's program for elephant conservation. He was moved to Birmingham in May 2011.
Ajani joined Bulwagi, an older male from Disney's Animal Adventure in Lake Buena Vista, Florida and a contemporary, Callee, from the Pittsburgh Zoo. A fourth elephant is also due to arrive from the Dresden Zoo in late summer. Planners said that the exhibit was designed for as many as 6 to 8 males.
During his time in Birmingham, the Zoo's vice president for living collections, Stephanie Braccini Slade, reported that Ajani became more "confident and social". The 9'-5" tall elephant was transferred to the Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita, Kansas in May 2018. There he joined a herd of six female elephants where it is expected he will contribute to the AZA's "Species Survival Plan".
References
- Thornton, William (April 21, 2011) "Birmingham Zoo's elephants get to know each other." The Birmingham News
- Thornton, William (May 13, 2011) "Birmingham Zoo elephant herd swells to 3 with arrival of bull from Indianapolis." The Birmingham News
- "Birmingham Zoo Elephant, Ajani, Moving to Sedgwick County Zoo." (May 3, 2018) Birmingham Zoo press release
External links
- Birmingham Zoo website
- Ajani at the Elephant Database