SEATTLE - Woodland Park Zoo isn't doling out cigars yet, but officially announced today the pregnancy of one of its Asian elephants, 20-year-old Chai (rhymes with "shy"). This milestone marks the first-ever elephant pregnancy in Woodland Park Zoo’s 100-year history.

Chai is currently living at Dickerson Park Zoo (DPZ) in Springfield, Missouri, where she was sent last September on a breeding loan. DPZ Veterinarian Dr. Dennis Schmitt confirmed Chai's pregnancy through ultrasound. With a gestation period of 22 months for elephants, Chai is due to give birth here at WPZ in November 2000. Chai will remain at DPZ for the duration of the summer.

After more than six years of unsuccessful artificial insemination (AI) attempts on Chai, the zoo sent the female (cow) to DPZ where she was paired with Onyx, a 36-year-old male (bull). WPZ’s Lead Elephant Keeper Pat Maluy notes, "Matchmaking efforts don't always work out between intended mates, so we were thrilled when Chai bred with Onyx in January. Prior to this, Chai had never been with a bull."

Onyx, born in the wild in northern India, has sired eight calves. Compared to Chai who measures 8 feet and weighs 7,300 pounds, Onyx measures a striking 9 feet, 6 inches and weighs 12,000 pounds.

At DPZ, Chai currently lives with two cows, Moola and Patience, and Patience’s 1-year-old male calf, Kala. This living arrangement provides an ideal situation for Chai, explains Maluy. "Allowing her access to a calf gives her valuable exposure to mothering skills, which she would not otherwise acquire at WPZ." So far, DPZ staff reports that Chai has shown positive interest in the calf and interacts favorably.

This mid-September, two WPZ elephant keepers will make the cross-country trip of transporting Chai back to Seattle. WPZ Senior Veterinarian Dr. Janis Joslin points out, "The road trip can be stressful for an elephant and, while there is a slim possibility of Chai aborting the fetus while traveling, she is not likely to since she will be in the early stage of her second trimester." Upon her return to WPZ, Chai will be reunited with the zoo's other members of the herd, who are all female: 32-year-old Bamboo and 19-year-old Sri, both Asian; and 30-year-old Watoto, African.

An aging population, an insufficient birth rate and a low number of bulls have put the North American elephant population in jeopardy. Experts warn that unless a sensible reproductive management program is undertaken to address the low birth rate and age-related deaths, North America is in danger of not sustaining a viable elephant population. If cows are not bred by age 25, their reproductive potential becomes greatly diminished. Studies conducted by Fort Worth Zoo predict that in 10 years, fewer than 50 elephants will have reproductive capabilities. This translates to less than one birth per year in North America. Moreover, zoos face greater restrictions on importing elephants from the wild.

Chai's loan to DPZ is under the auspices of the Elephant Species Survival Plan (SSP) administered by the American Zoo and Aquarium Association. DPZ was selected for its extensive experience with visiting cows and breeding, and its groundbreaking research involving natural breeding and artificial insemination. Last June, DPZ was the first zoo to impregnate an elephant through AI. One month later, Indianapolis Zoo announced the first African elephant pregnancy through artificial means. Dr. Schmitt, along with staff at Oregon Zoo, also has served as a consulting vet on WPZ's AI procedures.

The Elephant SSP is among 30 SSPs that WPZ participates in, including the Aruba Island rattlesnake, Humboldt penguin and orangutan. SSPs are cooperative breeding programs among North American zoos to manage and expand the populations of endangered species. In addition to ensuring genetic diversity and demographic stability, SSPs involve a variety of other cooperative conservation activities such as research, public education, reintroduction and field projects.

Chai's homecoming this fall will be just in time for Woodland Park Zoo's centennial birthday bash on September 18. The celebration will highlight the zoo's rich history, particularly its experience with elephants. The public's enthrallment with WPZ's elephants can be traced back to 1921 when an Asian cow named Wide Awake was purchased through children's donations and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Wide Awake lived at WPZ until her death in 1967 at 54 years old.