Ajani

Born: August 4, 2000
Weight: 6,598 lbs. as of March 2010
Country of Origin: USA
Parents: Ivory and a bull elephant in Florida

NOTE:  Our Ajani moved to the Birmingham Zoo in early 2011 to become a vital part of their newly-formed bachelor herd.  We were sad to see him go, but the timing was excellent.  He was just at the age when females in the herd would have chased him off naturally as part of the matriarchal herd dynamics.  At his new now, Ajani lives in the Trails of Africa, a mixed-species exhibit featuring a bachelor elephant herd, red river hogs, rhinos, and much more. Trails of Africa also includes ground and aerial observation opportunities providing education and entertainment to hundreds of thousands of visitors who can enjoy a one-of-a-kind experience.  We wish them only the best, and we know Ajani is helping to spread the word on animal conservation!

Just one more exciting event during the very prolific summer of 2000 at the Indianapolis Zoo, the birth of Ajani was celebrated throughout the city of Indianapolis.  Born to Ivory at 7am on Friday, August 4, the 252-pound male calf was the world’s second African elephant conceived and born through artificial insemination (AI).  After a 22 month gestation, Ivory was in labor for an incredibly short 30 minutes.  With the help of elephant staff, the calf was up and walking within a half-hour of birth.

Ivory was artificially inseminated in late October 1998.  A bull housed at a facility in Florida provided the semen used in the process.  This method has been extensively researched, and the Indianapolis Zoo is proud to have played such a major role in the advancement of the technology and knowledge surrounding this new conservation technique. 

Ajani’s birth was significant in another way.  He became only the 13th male elephant in human care in the United States.  Due to their larger size and occasional behavioral changes, especially during the breeding season, most zoos keep all-female herds of elephants. In the wild, male elephants will usually leave their herd during their teen years (elephants can live to be over 60 years of age) and either form small bachelor groups or live by themselves.  For this reason, it was a challenge and a wonderful learning experience for the Zoo staff to raise a male elephant. 

Ajani, a Nigerian name that means “he who wins the struggle,” was so named because his first few weeks of life proved a test for elephant and keepers alike.  In addition to his rapid arrival, staff experienced difficulty in getting Ivory used to her new baby.  She was awkward around her calf at times, which is not uncommon, and staff had to work hard to make sure Ajani stayed healthy.  Around-the-clock supervision, in addition to training sessions with Ivory to help her become more comfortable with her calf, proved the commitment of our dedicated staff to assuring that the new elephant survived.  After this initial period of uncertainty, Ivory seemed to warm up to her baby, and her maternal instincts kicked in.  Subsequently, she and Ajani bonded extremely well.

Active and curious, Ajani grew into a wonderful elephant.  He responds to the trainers very well and enjoys company, both elephant and human.

Ajani’s birth brings us great hope and optimism for the future survival of this magnificent species.  Through research, education, and experience, the conservation of African elephants is in our hands.  Ajani is just one more chapter in a story that will, with our work efforts and dedication, end happily.  With help from our partners at the Institute for Zoo Biology and Wildlife Research (IZW) of Berlin, Germany, whose staff perfected the artificial insemination technique that was used to achieve the conceptions of both of our mother elephants, the Indianapolis Zoo will continue to work toward saving these beautiful animals.