SEATTLE - The most recent artificial insemination of the zoo’s 26-year-old Asian elephant Chai (rhymes with eye) has not resulted in a pregnancy, confirmed by hormonal evaluations late last week. The zoo collaborated in September with the same international team of scientists from Berlin, Germany to inseminate Chai as they had last March.

Artificial insemination requires a significant investment of time in planning and conditioning an elephant for the procedure. “Of course we are disappointed that Chai is not yet pregnant, but it is not uncommon for us to need to perform the procedure more than once or twice,” said Woodland Park Zoo General Curator Dr. Nancy Hawkes. “She is healthy, has a normal reproductive cycle, and both attempts so far have been successful in terms of her cooperation. Each time we perform the procedure, we learn more about elephant reproduction. We are evaluating all the data collected and anticipate another attempt next March,” said Hawkes.

It is important that the zoo organize another attempt to inseminate Chai. “The Asian elephant population in North America is steadily declining due to aging, a low birth rate and a low number of breeding bulls,” explained Hawkes. Woodland Park participates in the Species Survival Plan (SSP) for Asian elephants, a cooperative breeding program to manage and expand the endangered species in North American zoos. Chai’s only offspring, Hansa (HUN-suh), was born at the zoo in November 2000 and the SSP recommends elephant inter-birth intervals of four years. The SSP, administered by the zoo’s accrediting organization, the American Zoo and Aquarium Association, made the recommendation to breed Chai again, this time, by artificial insemination.

The assisted reproduction technique allows zoos that don’t have male elephants to inseminate the females at their zoo instead of sending them to another institution to breed. In 1998, the zoo sent Chai on a breeding loan to Dickerson Park Zoo in Missouri where natural breeding resulted in a pregnancy. She returned to Seattle a year later and gave birth to Hansa, the only elephant born at the zoo.

In addition to Chai and Hansa, Woodland Park’s other member of the herd is African elephant 36-year-old Watoto (wah-TOE-toe), also female.

Accredited by the American Zoo and Aquarium Association, award-winning Woodland Park Zoo is famed for pioneering naturalistic exhibits and setting a standard for zoos all over the world. With conservation, education and excellent animal care at the core of the zoo’s mission, the zoo is helping to save endangered species in Washington state and around the world including tree kangaroos, snow leopards, red-crowned cranes, African wild dogs, western pond turtles and Oregon silverspot butterflies. By inspiring visitors and others to care and act, Woodland Park Zoo is making a difference in our planet’s future.