The Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden has confirmed that two of its endangered Asian elephants, Asha and Achara, are pregnant. The births are expected in 2025. The zoo’s veterinary and elephant care teams confirmed the pregnancies through routine blood tests and ultrasounds. Both elephants are in good health and will be monitored throughout their pregnancies. Rachel Emory, the zoo’s curator of elephants, noted the importance of these pregnancies for the conservation of the species.
Asha, who is 29 years old, is due to give birth in April 2025. This will be her fifth offspring born at the zoo. The father is Rex, a 56-year-old senior bull elephant. Asha and Rex have three other offspring: Achara, Kairavi, and Rama. Asha’s first offspring, Malee, died in 2015 from the elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV).
Achara, who is 9 years old, is expected to give birth for the first time in July 2025. The father is Bowie, the zoo’s youngest bull elephant. Bowie was transferred from the Fort Worth Zoo in Texas last fall as part of a breeding recommendation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Species Survival Plan® (SSP) for Asian elephants. The same program recommended the breeding of Rex and Asha.