SEATTLE - A series of hormonal evaluations confirms that Woodland Park Zoo’s 26-year-old Asian elephant, Chai (rhymes with eye), is not pregnant. The zoo collaborated with an international team of scientists from Berlin, Germany in March to artificially inseminate the elephant.

“ Artificial insemination requires many hours of planning and conditioning an elephant for the assisted reproduction technique,” explained Dr. Nancy Hawkes, general curator at Woodland Park Zoo, “but no matter how methodical you are, artificial insemination, like natural breeding, is not 100 percent guaranteed.” The zoo plans to attempt another artificial insemination this September along with Dr. Thomas Hildebrandt and his team, of the Institute for Zoo Biology and Wildlife Research of Berlin.

Woodland Park Zoo participates in the Species Survival Plan (SSP) for Asian elephants, a cooperative breeding program to manage and expand the populations of 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. According to Hawkes, the SSP made the recommendation to breed Chai again, this time, by artificial insemination. “Artificial insemination allows zoos that don’t have male elephants to keep the females at their zoo instead of sending them to another institution to breed,” said Hawkes. SSPs are administered by the American Zoo and Aquarium Association, the zoo’s accrediting organization.

The herd at Woodland Park Zoo is entirely female. In 1998, Chai was sent on a breeding loan to Dickerson Park Zoo in Missouri where the breeding resulted in a pregnancy. She returned to Seattle and gave birth to Hansa, who represents the only elephant born at the zoo in its 105-year history. In addition to Chai and Hansa, Woodland Park’s herd consists of Asian elephant 38-year-old Bamboo and African elephant 36-year-old Watoto (wah-TOE-toe).

The Asian elephant population in North American zoos remains in jeopardy due to an aging population, a low birth rate and a low number of breeding bulls. “We are dedicated to continuing our long-term commitment to the Asian elephant SSP,” said Hawkes.

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.