New bull elephant coming to Toledo Zoo this fall

TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) - A 23-year-old bull elephant named Ajani will be making his way to the Toledo Zoo’s Temobo Trail exhibit this fall.

Ajani will serve as an ambassador for his species, along with the exhibit’s other African elephants, Twiggy and Renee.

His arrival serves a dual purpose, combining social enhancement and potential breeding considerations at the Toledo Zoo.

“Our herd will be growing from two to four elephants in less than a year with the addition of Ajani and Renee’s calf. Toledo Zoo is doing its part to fulfill the mission to inspire the community and get people excited for this new journey. We’re looking forward to sharing this experience with everyone as the elephants get to know each other and live cohesively in a more natural social situation,” said Michael Frushour, curator of mammals for the Toledo Zoo.

Upon arriving at the Zoo, there will be a supervised introduction process for Ajani to get him acclimated to the exhibit and other elephants. Based on his previous experiences with females and young elephants, the Zoo team said they are confident he will get along with the other members of the herd, including Renee’s soon-to-be-born calf, expected to arrive in Spring 2024.

Ajani was born at the Indianapolis Zoo, moved to the Birmingham Zoo in 2011 and the Sedgwick County Zoo in 2018. He is 9.5 feet tall and weighs 11,710 pounds. His relocation opens space at Sedgwick County Zoo, enabling the movement of another male, crucial for genetic diversity and population sustainability.

See a spelling or grammar error in our story? Please include the title when you click here to report it.

Copyright 2023 WTVG. All rights reserved.