COLUMBUS, Ohio — A new elephant has joined the herd at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium.
The zoo announced the addition of Johnson, an elephant from African Lion Safari in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada. Johnson arrived Friday and is adjusting well to his new surroundings.
The care team says that Johnson is eating well and exploring.
Guests have the opportunity to view him in the outdoor habitat at the zoo. The former outdoor rhino habitat, located adjacent to one of the outdoor elephant habitats, is currently being modified to offer additional space for the elephants. This work is scheduled to be completed in October 2024.
Johnson was born at the African Lion Safari in 2001 and weighs 11,500 pounds. His old care team described him as laid back, confident and gentle with other elephants.
Zookeepers at the Columbus Zoo say they look forward to introducing him to the female elephants in the herd – sisters Rudy and Sundara and matriarch Phoebe. Johnson could serve as a role model for Phoebe’s young son, Frankie, who just turned 3 years old.
At the zoo, the elephants have a spacious habitat, including outdoor swimming pools, an indoor shower activated by the elephants, outdoor mud wallows, indoor and outdoor sand floors, trees and other structures for back rubbing and scratching.
According to a release, bull elephants sometimes prefer alone time. Johnson will be provided with space for independence when he chooses.
“While it’s always challenging for our dedicated keepers to see the animals they care for move on, these decisions are made in the best interest of each individual animal and the future of their species,” Adam Felts, senior curator and director of Animal Wellbeing at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, said. “We are grateful for the collaboration and expertise of all the teams involved to ensure that the elephants arrived safely, and we remain in close contact to ensure the animals are thriving. We are pleased to report that all of them are doing very well, and we remain committed to their wellbeing and making a positive impact on the conservation of their amazing species.”
Johnson’s move was recommended through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Asian Elephant Species Survival Plan), a nationally-managed plan to help ensure the survival of this species by maintaining a growing, genetically diverse population in North American zoos.
Johnson’s move follows the recent departure of elephants, Connie, Hank and Sabu, from the Columbus Zoo. Sabu returned to the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden after a temporary stay during the construction of their Elephant Trek habitat.
The zoo said that while Sabu was in Columbus, it was also hoped that he would breed with the females in the herd, though it is too soon to confirm if this was successful.
Hank and Connie’s plans were also the result of an SSP recommendation to move Hank to the Tulsa Zoo. Because Connie bonded closely with Hank, who has been at the Columbus Zoo for 13 years, the elephant care leadership team decided to keep Connie and Hank together.
Next year, the zoo is planning to receive another breeding bull, Raja, from the Saint Louis Zoo. The two bulls will be housed separately and will offer additional socialization opportunities for the females, which will help lead to a greater chance of success in producing offspring.
