By Trish Svoboda

Sedgwick County Zoo shared that another female elephant at the zoo is pregnant, bringing the total number of expectant elephants at the zoo to five. With this announcement, all female elephants, except for Stephanie who is past her reproductive years, are now awaiting the arrival of their calves.

The elephant care team ensures special attention is given to the expecting mothers, including monitoring body condition, hormones, vitamin and mineral intake, and routine bloodwork.

These pregnancies are significant for the future of African elephants in North America. While their wild counterparts face numerous threats, each birth within an AZA-accredited institution, such as Sedgwick County Zoo, contributes to the Species Survival Plan (SSP). These coordinated breeding programs are designed to ensure genetic diversity and population sustainability for threatened and endangered species.

The first birth is expected in early spring 2025.