What does an elephant do when it needs to move across the country? Pack its trunks.
That’s the case for Raja, an adult Asian elephants who will move from the Saint Louis Zoo to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. Raja expected to move in late 2024 or early 2025.
Did you know elephants are on the verge of extinction? That’s why these he’s making the trek. Raja, a 31-year-old male, will eventually breed with one of four different female elephants at the Columbus Zoo. Additionally, Raja will be tasked with mentoring a young male calf in CBUS.
His daughter Jade, a 17-year-old pregnant elephant, will remain in Saint Louis. She is about 10 months along in the process, and elephants are pregnant for roughly 22 months. The gender of the calf is currently unknown. She is planned to give birth in Saint Louis, and grow their elephant family.