Dickerson Park Zoo

Overview

Dickerson Park Zoo (DPZ), located in Springfield, Mo., currently houses one adult bull and four adult female elephants in two facilities. The females have an outdoor yard about an acre in size, and the bull area consists of three outdoor yards that measure from only 6,000 to 11,000 square feet, with no tactile or visual contact between them. All indoor stalls have concrete flooring.

While the Zoo may boast of being a breeding facility, its record is anything but successful. Ten elephant calves have been born at DPZ since 1985. However, only two of these elephants— Asha and Chandra—are alive today.

Elephant Births at Dickerson Park Zoo

1. DEAD - Unnamed - born/died June 1985
2. DEAD - Maiya - born July 1991, died Feb. 1993
3. DEAD - Unnamed - born/died Sept. 1992
4. ALIVE - Asha - born Feb. 1995 (transferred Dec. 1998 to Oklahoma)
5. ALIVE - Chandra - born July 1996 (transferred to Oklahoma in Dec. 1998)
6. DEAD - Unnamed - born/died Sept. 1997
7. DEAD - Kala - b. May 1998, died Nov. 2000 at Vallejo (transferred in May 2000)
8. DEAD - Haji - b. Nov. 1999, died June 2002
9. DEAD - Pete - born/died April 2000 (lived one day)
10. DEAD - Nisha - born July 18, 2006, died December 2007

The most recent death occurred in December 2007 when 15-month-old Nisha died from the highly fatal elephant herpesvirus, bringing nationwide attention to this dreadful disease. Five elephants born at the Zoo have sickened with the virus, and only one survived after treatment (Chandra). Nisha’s father, Sabu-hit, was transferred to Cincinnati Zoo shortly before she died. He has sired one other calf who died from the virus (Ganesh, 2005 at Columbus Zoo).

Despite its terrible record of deaths due to the herpesvirus, DPZ has regularly received female elephants from zoos and circuses for breeding. These elephants are impregnated either by mating with one of DPZ’s bulls or through artificial insemination and then returned to their original facilities.

In 2001, the Zoo was charged by the USDA with violating the Animal Welfare Act for abusing a female elephant named Chai, who was on loan from Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle for breeding. The USDA cited the Zoo for “handling a female named ‘Chai’ in a manner which caused trauma, behavioral stress, physical harm, and unnecessary discomfort to the animal. Respondent physically abused a female Asian elephant named ‘Chai’.” Chai lost 1,000 pounds at DPZ (according to news reports) and was returned to Woodland Park Zoo pregnant by Onyx. Her calf, Hansa, died in 2007 from the elephant herpesvirus.

At DPZ, female elephants are managed in “free contact,” using negative reinforcement via use of the ankus and positive reinforcement. Zoo policy states that animals with extreme behavioral problems may require use of ropes to restrain and “retrain” them. Bulls are managed in protected contact, with use of a restraint device for close contact procedures. Keepers working with bull elephants keep electric cattle prods with them.

Elephant Profiles

Onyx
Male Asian elephant
Born ~1964; died from mesenteric torsion and intestinal rupture in 2002 at age 38
Lived at DPZ since 1980

Onyx was born in northern India’s Assam Valley and captured as a one-year-old calf. In 1965, he was brought to the U.S. as one the "Mitie-Mites," a troupe of young pachyderms billed as “the world’s smallest performing elephant act,” with the three elephants together weighing less than 1,000 pounds. Murray Hill, the Mitie-Mites trainer and Onyx’s original “owner,” described him as a “practical joker” both in and out of the ring.

When Onyx became an adolescent, he became increasingly temperamental and turned on Hill, who decided that the growing elephant needed to be in a facility that could handle him. DPZ took Onyx in 1980 and nicknamed him “Big Mac” as part of a publicity ploy because Springfield McDonald’s restaurants were paying for his food during his first year at the zoo. He was 15 years old at the time and weighed about 7,500 pounds. As a full-grown adult bull, he would weigh nearly 12,000 pounds and measure 10 feet tall at the shoulder.

DPZ made Onyx the “centerpiece” of their captive-breeding program, and started collecting his semen the following year. Over the decades, Onyx would sire a dozen calves. The majority of these baby elephants did not survive.

Onyx had ongoing foot problems that were treated regularly by placing him in a restraint device and rotating him to lie on his side, often for up to 11⁄2 hours at a time, to trim his pads and treat his feet. He had problems with large cracks, defects, undermined nails, partial loss of nail and fissures on pads. His feet were repeatedly cleaned and necrotic tissue trimmed away. The zoo used bleach and Pine-Sol foot baths, among other solutions, to treat his feet. He also had a persistent abscess on his hip.

Onyx died prematurely in 2002 at the age of 38 from mesenteric torsion and intestinal rupture. A torsion of approximately 280 degrees had occurred in his colon and an 8” x 6” tear was found in the cecum.

Khun-Chorn
Male Asian elephant
Captive Born 1978
At DPZ since 1980

This bull was born at the Portland Zoo in 1978, and was shipped to DPZ when he was three months shy of his second birthday. At DPZ, he has suffered from chronic foot problems such as overgrown nails, necrotic and infected tissue, undermined pads, defects, and soft spots on pads and fissures. He is often placed in the Elephant Restraining Device and turned on his side for an hour or more per session to work on his feet. Repeated foot trims have resulted in sore nails and soft tissue inflammation.

Khun-Chorn has joint problems as well and has been frequently treated with Phenylbutazone for pain and stiff joints in both front legs, and has had chronic difficulty with one of his back legs.

Minyahk
Female Asian elephant
Born ~1949
Lived at DPZ since 1954

Minyahk, a female Asian elephant, was wild caught and brought to DPZ in 1954. She lived alone until 1980, when the Zoo acquired Onyx. Minyahk was then loaned out to Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa, Fla. in 1987, and brought back to DPZ in 1993. She was later loaned out to Oklahoma Zoo from 1998-1999 before being returned once again to DPZ.

DPZ calls Minyahk the “matriarch” of their “herd,” and has arranged for her to breed with numerous males. None of these attempts have resulted in her impregnation. An artificial insemination attempt in 1985 was also unsuccessful.

Minyahk suffers from chronic arthritis. She is frequently given the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug phenylbutazone. She has a recurring crack on her back left center toenail. She also has suffered urine burns on her feet.

Zoo records contain numerous notes related to aggression between Minyahk and other females. As a result of a fight with Patience, she has suffered a broken tusk and head abrasions.

Connie
Female Asian elephant
Born 1964 (est.)
Lived at DPZ since 1981

In 1981, DPZ purchased Connie from the Abilene Zoo for $26,500. She was17 years old at the time, and has since been subjected to at least 17 natural and artificial breeding attempts.

Three of these natural-breeding efforts resulted in conception. In June 1985, Connie gave birth to a stillborn female. In 1991, she gave birth to a live female calf, whom she initially rejected. The calf, called Maiya, was successfully reintroduced to her mother six days later, but died at the age of nineteen months from heart failure due to the elephant herpesvirus. Connie bore a third calf in 2002, a female named Asha who was transferred to the Oklahoma City Zoo where she now lives with her half-sister Chandra.

Connie has been aggressive toward other females, especially Vicky, on numerous occasions, and has been known to throw hay, feces, and rocks into the public area. She has been chained to prevent this behavior on at least two occasions, once for several days.

Patience
Female Asian elephant
Born 1974 (est.)
Lived at DPZ since 1990

Patience was originally brought in on loan from Brookfield Zoo (Chicago) in 1990 for breeding and was later donated to DPZ permanently. DPZ has bred her intensively, both naturally and through artificial insemination, with 10 attempts over the course of six years. One artificial insemination attempt, described as surgical, left a fistula that caused her to leak urine and have feces cake up around the opening. Her medical records indicate that Patience was in pain from the artificial insemination incision/fistula. This wound remained a problem for several years, but the Zoo continued to breed her with bulls anyway.

In June 2003, Patience was housed with Sabu (who was transferred to Cincinnati Zoo in November 2007), who behaved very aggressively toward her. She sustained several abrasions as a result, and her artificial insemination incision wound grew from dime-sized to quarter-sized with “strings of tissue, blood and pus” being “exuded from the wound.”

In May 1998, Patience gave birth to a live calf named Kala, who was transferred to Six Flags Marine World in Vallejo, Calif. in May of 2000, but died on November 29, 2000 from the elephant herpesvirus. Patience has had no other calves. In February 2004, she appears to have aborted a baby.

Zoo records mention numerous instances of Patience being aggressive toward her fellow females, as a result of which she has suffered several tail injuries. At times, Patience was placed with the bulls in order to separate her from the females she is fighting with. A note in another elephant’s file indicates that Patience has had a habit of stalking and attacking elephant calves. According to Haji's specimen file, Patience tried to kill him as an infant, after which she was taken away and "worked" by the staff. Patience was then chained and prevented from going outside until she began to cooperate with her keepers.

Moola
Female Asian elephant
Born 1981 (est.)
Lived at DPZ since 1996

Moola was originally on loan from Milwaukee Zoo but was eventually donated to DPZ in 1996. Since then, she has given birth to three calves. The first—a female calf named Chandra—was the result of natural breeding with Onyx. Chandra was stricken with the elephant herpesvirus but survived after treatment. She was sent to the Oklahoma City Zoo where she now lives with her half-sister Asha. The second calf, Haji, was conceived by artificial insemination. He was separated from his mother at only 22 months of age, and died in June 2002 due to the elephant herpesvirus. The third calf, a female named Nisha sired by Sabu, was born July 18, 2006 and died on December 1, 2007 due to the elephant herpesvirus.

Moola has frequently been moved around between all of the female and male elephants and often has trouble with them being aggressive toward her. As a result, she has sustained numerous injuries to her tail. These wounds became chronic starting in 2001, resulting in the loss of five centimeters from the tip of her tail.

Calves

Kala

Kala was born at Dickerson Park on the May 17, 1998. His mother was Patience and father was Onyx. The specimen report begins with a note about his mother Patience being taken away from Kala and chained while media was arriving. Once the media was gone, the elephants were reunited.

Kala was weaned and separated from his mother on February 15, 2000, at the age of 21 months. Patience was chained front and back for this separation. Kala was put with other elephants, and suffered injuries and gore wounds from Moola who was aggressive toward him and pushed him around.

The Zoo began conditioning Kala to a horse trailer at the age of 22 months, in preparation for shipment to Six Flags Marine World. He was shipped to Vallejo, Calif. on May 8, 2000, just days shy of his second birthday. He died six months later from the elephant herpesvirus.

Haji

This calf was born on November 28, 1999, and was the world's first elephant produced through artificial insemination. His mother was Moola. He was weaned and separated from his mother when he was 22 months old. He died at age 2-1/2 after suffering for two months from diarrhea and fever.

When Haji was first introduced to other female elephants Patience tried to kill him and had to be separated from him. She was aggressive to him on several other occasions and he had to be put with her only when other adult females were there to guard him.

The staff began to chain him at three months of age. He grew afraid of chaining and was so difficult that there was a discussion about withholding food from him unless he would cooperate and allow chaining each morning. They also had problems with him escaping from the exhibit at several different points of exit.

Pete

This calf was born to Vicky on April 12, 2000. It appears that the Zoo removed Pete from his mother immediately to take blood. The Zoo hand-fed him colostrum from his mother and milk from his mother and from Moola. However, the calf went into respiratory arrest after eight hours and three feedings.

Nisha

Nisha was sired by Sabu and born to Moola on July 18, 2006. She died from the elephant herpesvirus on December 1, 2007.

Maiya

Born to Connie in 1991, Maiya was initially rejected by her mother. She was successfully reintroduced six days later, but died at the age of nineteen months from the elephant herpesvirus.

Asha

Connie gave birth to Asha in 1995. Asha was transferred, along with Chandra, to the Oklahoma City Zoo in 1998.

Chandra

Born in 1996 to Moola, Chandra was transferred with Asha to the Oklahoma City Zoo in 1998. While still at DPZ, Chandra was stricken with the elephant herpesvirus but survived after treatment.

Elephants on Breeding Loans

Sabu-hit

Sabu-hit, a male Asian elephant born in 1988, was captured from the wild as an infant and sent to the Cincinnati Zoo. He was transferred to Louisville Zoo in Kentucky in 1998, and was held there until 2002 when he was transferred to DPZ on a breeding loan. Sabu-hit was returned to Cincinnati in November 2007. He has sired two calves: one born at Cincinnati Zoo in 1998, Ganesh, and Nisha, born at DPZ in 2006. Both have died from the elephant herpesvirus. Ganesh died at Columbus Zoo in 2005; Nisha died at DPZ in 2007.

While at DPZ, Sabu-hit exhibited aggression toward keepers and female elephants, especially when he was in musth, which occurs regularly in male elephants and is characterized by heightened levels of testosterone. He also regularly refused to enter the Elephant Restraint Device for maintenance, and at times was harnessed to a “chain keeper” that enabled keepers to force Sabu-hit into the restraining device by reeling in the chain.

Dolly

This 37-year-old female was brought in from the Denver Zoo on breeding loan and stayed at Dickerson Park Zoo for just over one year. She had superficial marks on her trunk, shoulders, hips, and tail upon arrival at the zoo. She was described by her Denver keeper as aggressive and stubborn. She had a chronic abrasion on her cheek that she often rubs open. She was given just one week to acclimate before introduction to two strange females took place and after two weeks she was introduced to the bull Onyx after what appears to be just one day of introduction with a barrier.

Frequent attempts at breeding often turned into sparring matches. Dolly was unreceptive to Onyx although she was placed with him daily for most of her time at the zoo. After one year, breeding was unsuccessful and Dolly was returned to Denver Zoo.

Betty

This female is of unknown age and was on loan from George Carden Circus for one-month intervals four times between 1998-2000 for breeding purposes. No known calves were produced.

Vicky

This female was on loan with Betty from George Carden Circus for breeding. Her age and history were not provided in the records. She was at DPZ from 1995 to 2000. She gave birth to calf Pete on April 12 2000, who died eight hours later. Vicky had a urogenital tract infection immediately following the birth. She was taken back to circus on June 10, 2000, while Betty was left at the zoo to breed.

Isa

This 35-year-old female was brought in from Carson and Barnes Circus in Hugo, Oklahoma, on loan. She was possibly pregnant (and this appears to be known to both institutions) at the time of shipping. She was immediately introduced to the male Kuhn-Chorn on her first day at the zoo and left with him for several hours, working her up to staying with him full-time within a week. She appeared to have aborted the calf as her elevated progesterone levels returned to baseline within a few months of arrival. In December 2000 she bred with Khun Chorn but did not get pregnant. The Circus picked her up on January 7, 2001.