Caring for
10,000
Pound Elephants
“What do the animals eat?”
“How do you make sure they are
healthy?” “Is their species endan-
gered?” “What do animals and
keepers do every day?” “What is
this animal’s unique story or per-
sonality?” These are the questions
we most often hear from visitors to
the Louisville Zoo. This article is the
first part in a series highlighting the
variety of animals that call our Zoo
home through a look into their his-
tory, exhibits and care.
Home Sweet Home
Mikki, an African elephant, and
Punch, an Asian elephant, have
lived at the Louisville Zoo for most
of their lives. Punch arrived in 1973
and Mikki arrived in 1987. Although
several other elephants have been
part of their group through the
years, these two female elephants
have been companions for nearly
31 years and have developed a very
strong, familial bond.
Research has shown that displac-
ing or separating bonded elephants
can cause long-standing stress, so
the Louisville Zoo not only focuses
on caring for Mikki and Punch’s
individual needs; equally important,
we have made a commitment to
providing this small family group
with a safe and enriching environ-
ment that fosters their familial bond
so essential to their welfare for the
duration of their lives.
Mikki and Punch’s exhibit has
changed considerably over the years
as innovations and standards have
developed and as the needs of the
individuals and group change. In
2016, the most recent upgrade took
place allowing for new protected
contact management, improve-
ments to their indoor space, numer-
ous enrich-
ment features
and the
expansion
of outdoor
space, with
new flex-
ible gating
that could
be used
to fa-
cilitate the
manage-
ment of a
new calf.
Everything
in the Zoo
world must
be planned out
well in advance
to minimize dis-
ruption for animals
and visitors and to
raise funds for the en-
hancements that often run into the
millions of dollars. (See more details
about the recent upgrades in the
spring 2016 issue of the Trunkline at
LouisvilleZoo.org/Trunkline.)
Everyday Experts, Specialists
and a Global Network of Care
All the animals at the Louisville
Zoo have customized care plans,
and Mikki and Punch are no excep-
tion. Our husbandry, healthcare
and exhibit planning revolve around
Mikki and Punch’s specific needs
as individuals and as a family unit.
Steve Burton, Elephant Area Su-
pervisor, has been caring for both
elephants for almost 20 years. He
started volunteering at the Zoo at
the age of 13.
“Once I began working with our
elephants, I never looked back,”
Steve said.
8 • Louisville Zoo Trunkline • Spring 2018