Elephants leaving Utah’s Hogle Zoo after more than 100 years of care

SALT LAKE CITY — Officials with Utah’s Hogle Zoo announced on Tuesday a decision to pause its continuous care of elephants, which has spanned more than 100 years.

The decision to transfer Christie, 36, and her daughter Zuri, 13, to another Association of Zoos and Aquariums-accredited zoo is so opportunities for reproduction can be maximized.

“Utah’s Hogle Zoo is progressing through an exciting and transformational planning process to help ensure we meet the changing needs of our community and the complex needs of animals in the zoo’s care. We have talked to many professionals, consultants, community members and our staff as we carefully assessed what is best for all our animals, including elephants Christie and Zuri. The ultimate choice to move Christie and Zuri is to provide them both the best chance to have a calf in the important social dynamic of a multigenerational herd,” said Utah’s Hogle Zoo CEO Doug Lund.

A century of care

Much has changed at the Hogle Zoo since its first elephant, Princess Alice, arrived in 1916. Zoo officials said evolving care practices and research has helped the zoo’s professional animal care team adapt to offer the animals more choices and opportunities to be physically and emotionally engaged. The Hogle Zoo expanded and improved its elephant space in 2005 after building Elephant Encounter.

Zoo officials said they have worked to provide its elephants with offspring and the social dynamic benefit of living in a multigenerational herd. However, the 42-acre zoo would need to invest in additional space to bring a male elephant to Utah — a process that would take years. It could also potentially lead to the loss of Zuri’s prime reproductive window.

Survival of the species

“The world’s African elephant population declined from 1.1 million in the 1970s to approximately 450,000 today, with an estimated 100 elephants killed every day,” zoo officials said. “Utah’s Hogle Zoo, with the support of the community, has funded worldwide conservation projects to secure important habitats, build ranger stations in East Africa, and form anti-poaching scouting teams.”

To give Chrisite and Zuri the best chance to have a calf and be part of a multigenerational herd, the zoo is preparing to transfer them to another accredited zoo.

“The animal care team will be working with the elephants to prepare them for voluntary, healthy transport to their new location as swiftly and carefully as possible. While the exact date of transfer is still to be determined, the zoo anticipates Christie and Zuri will move by this fall,” officials said.

“Utah’s Hogle Zoo is committed to creating connections between people and animals that inspire action to save elephants and other endangered species. As a committed partner to the AZA Species Survival Plan®, we often receive and move animals between accredited zoos for genetically diverse breeding purposes, like the move of Amur leopard male, Skye, last September,” Lund said. “Questions regarding what species the zoo will have in the future are being thoroughly discussed. The process is guided by what is best for animal wellbeing, guest impact, and the most effective way to contribute to saving wildlife.”

The ultimate choice to move Christie and Zuri is to provide them both the best chance to have a calf during their prime reproductive years and benefit from the important social dynamic of a multigenerational herd.#AfricanElephant pic.twitter.com/rKsX8JPq8P

— Utah's Hogle Zoo (@HogleZoo) May 2, 2023

The zoo is currently reviewing its master plan and said elephants could return to the zoo. It will also evaluate what it needs to do to “ensure the wellbeing of complex species like elephants, rhinos, gorillas, polar bears, and orangutans.”

Utah’s Hogle Zoo has been AZA accredited since 1979. Fewer than 10% of zoos across the nation are AZA accredited.

“As AZA finalizes a strategy for the sustainability of elephants across AZA-accredited facilities, Utah’s Hogle Zoo is leading by example,” said Dan Ashe, president and CEO of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. “Although moving Christie and Zuri will no doubt be hard on the staff who care for them every day, and the greater Utah community who love and support them, this decision is what is best for the wellbeing of these two elephants and for the future of elephants at AZA-accredited facilities. The Hogle Zoo community should be proud of the courageous leadership the zoo is showing in making this difficult choice.”