Born: 1976 in Krüger National Park in South Africa Gender: female Since 1984 in the zoo Basel Distinguishing features: clear horizontal wrinkles on her forehead, short tusks. Heri was born in Krüger National Park in South Africa ...
Daily Routine for the elephants in zoos and circus
What does a day in the life of a zoo elephant look like? A typical day for an elephant, e.g. at Zurich Zoo, might look somewhat like this: 07:00 The animal keepers begin their ...
Zoo born elephants
Between 1900 and 2017, 20 elephant births took place in Switzerland: 1963 1.0 Sahib-Friodolin at Circus KNIE (Ceylon/Siam) 1965 0.1 Madura at Circus KNIE (Java/Siam) 1966 0.1 Ota at Zoo Basel (Idunda/Omari) 1984 0.1 Komali ...
Elephant Training and Dressage in the zoo and circus
Why are elephants trained? Unlike domestic animals, which were bred continuously deploying the most suitable animals, elephants in the zoo and in the circus are wild animals – however sweet and nice they are ...
Swimming and diving elephants
Can elephants swim and dive? Like all mammals (except humans and apes, who have to learn how to swim), elephants are very good, untiring swimmers. Elephants move all four legs to swim and are ...
Stereotypical behavior in elephants
What is stereotypical behavior? Any keen observer visiting a zoo or circus has noticed behavioral disorders and stereotypical behavior in different kinds of animals: chimps tearing out their own fur as well as that ...
Elephants in Snow and Cold
Do elephants freeze? When the zoo public – being themselves wrapped up in thick coats, gloves and woolly hats – see the elephants in winter in the outside enclosure, they wonder, whether it’s not ...
Elephant Smallpox
Where has elephant smallpox occurred? Elephant smallpox occurred for the first time in 1960 in Leipzig Zoo and spread to various countries, primarily in Central Europe, in the following years. How does the illness ...
Elephant Sleep
Do elephants sleep for long? Elephants, just as all other wild animals, are extremely careful and never drop their guard. Avoiding your enemies and staying alert are the most important factors in surviving in ...
Medical care of elephants
Are elephants frequently ill? Elephants are basically robust animals, with a very good physical constitution. This applies especially to well-fed and well cared-for zoo elephants who are not exposed to any stress. Where do ...