10,000-Pound Raja Joins Cincinnati Zoo for Breeding

Raja, a 33-year-old Asian elephant who spent his life at the Saint Louis Zoo, has arrived at Cincinnati Zoo as part of a breeding recommendation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Asian Elephant Species Survival Plan. Cincinnati hopes Raja will breed with Anak and Yasmin, whose genetics are underrepresented in the population; the zoo says its bull Sabu showed little interest in breeding with them, while Raja fathered several calves in St. Louis. The plan also calls for another bull to move to St. Louis and for Cincinnati’s younger bulls, Sanjay and Kabir, to transfer to another accredited zoo, likely in December. Raja is settling into the Elephant Trek habitat, though visitors may not always see the elephants during introductions.