Trunkline Magazine (Louisville Zoo) September 2018 | Page 11

Mikki the Elephant:
11-month Update
As you may already be aware, our African elephant
Mikki is pregnant! An ultrasound performed by
the Zoo’s veterinary staff in March 2018 confirmed
the pregnancy. We are happy to share that recent
checkups indicate Mikki is on the right track for
a healthy baby elephant. Mikki is headed into
You can read
month 12 of the calf’s 20-22 month gestation. At
more about Mikki’s
12 months, an elephant calf will appear perfectly
prenatal care and the
formed inside its mothers uterus with a trunk, tail
pregnancy announcement
and ears and will average about 26 pounds and 18
in the summer 2018
inches long. That’s approximately the size of a very
issue of Trunkline at
large watermelon! A baby elephant will be able to
LouisvilleZoo.org/
use its trunk in mom’s womb, curling it up into its mouth or over its head. Her baby will
Trunkline.
continue to grow and gain weight until it is born. The average baby elephant can weigh
between 250 – 300 pounds, so we still have a long road ahead! To ensure an easy delivery,
Mikki's pre-natal care continues to focus on controlling her weight through enrichment,
regular exercise and a high-fiber diet. A grant has also been received to purchase a timed feeder for Mikki to help
encourage foraging and exercise as well as provide additional enrichment!
Did you know?
This July, the Louisville Zoo
celebrated the renewal
of its accreditation by
the Association of Zoos and
Aquariums (AZA) with a visit from Dan
Ashe, president and CEO of the AZA.
This will be the Zoo’s 38th year of
accreditation. Only the very best
zoos and aquariums can meet
the AZA’s tough accreditation
standards. Your Louisville Zoo is one
of only 233 Zoos accredited by the
AZA. There are many USDA licensed
animal exhibitors but fewer than 10
percent are accredited.
AZA accreditation ensures that the
animals you visit at accredited zoos
and aquariums receive excellent
care every day. As members, donors
and friends, you should be proud
to know that your Zoo has met the
mandatory, rigorous, professional
standards for animal welfare and
management, veterinary care,
behavioral enrichment, nutrition,
conservation, education, safety and
staff training.
During his visit, Dan shared with
Zoo staff the important role of
Zoos in our modern world. Did you
know that 35% of a child’s day
is now spent looking at a screen?
Approximately 93% of our time is
spent indoors. 55% of the human
population lives in urban areas
with less than 1% of people being
able to travel to see animals in the
vanishing wild. The good news is
that over 195 million people visit
AZA accredited zoos and aquariums
every year to share family time,
often outdoors, and to see and
learn about endangered species.
There has never been a more critical
time for the mission of a modern
Zoo. During an era of massive
loss of rare and precious species
and habitat, AZA institutions
like the Louisville Zoo provide
support for local and world-wide
conservation initiatives and lead
the reestablishment of endangered
species. In a time when our kids
need help to succeed and become
stewards of nature, we provide
important conservation education.
We are an ever-present reminder
to our community to live in better
balance with the planet and those
who share it with us.
With your help and the work of our
Zoo’s talented staff and volunteers,
we have made the Louisville Zoo
a community treasure and one of
the best zoos in the nation. My
sincerest thanks to all of you. I hope
you continue to partner with us and
enjoy your Zoo. We look forward
to celebrating more successes and
milestones with you during our
50th anniversary in 2019.
Louisville Zoo Trunkline • Fall 2018 • 11