Christie's Pregnancy and Baby History

After three attempts at artificial insemination Hogle Zoo’s 23-year old African elephant Christie, was confirmed pregnant through an ultrasound performed in February 2008. Though this was exciting news, the insemination procedure was not a simple task.  It involved years of planning, exhibit renovations, staff time and commitment to conservation to complete. Because of the threatened status of African elephants, the Zoo staff was eager to become part of a solution for elephants and undertake the enormous process of helping Christie bring a baby elephant into the world. Finally after 22 months, the baby female elephant was very close to being born.

Christie’s calf was born at 1:15 pm on Monday August 10, 2009. The baby weighed in at 251 pounds, stood 36 inches tall and had a trunk that measured 15 inches in length. One of the first priorities of the elephant staff after making sure the baby was healthy post-delivery, was to make sure that Christie and her baby were bonding and that the baby was properly nursing. Hogle Zoo publicly announced the following day that Christie had delivered and the world was finally aware that it was a girl.

Throughout the weeks following the baby elephant’s birth, excitement swirled around both Hogle Zoo and the community, and there was great anticipation as to when the baby girl would be viewed by the public. While the animal care staff continued their hard, around-the-clock work on making sure mom and baby were healthy, five different African names were selected, on which people could vote. The five choices were announced as Apara, Abeni, Khari, Aisha and Zuri. Babyproofing of the working yard exhibit at Elephant Encounter continued.

It was determined at the beginning of September that both Christie and her calf were doing well enough that they would be on exhibit to the public on Friday September 11, 2009. The night prior to that date, the elephants went on exhibit for those attending Hogle Zoo’s yearly Zoo Rendezvous fundraiser to view. The crowd went wild for the new little elephant, and the excitement for her public debut increased. The next day, crowds of people lined up at Hogle Zoo’s gates for opening time where they would be able to see the much-anticipated baby elephant, and they love her. But still she had no name.

The name voting concluded on Sunday September 13, and by Tuesday September 15 the baby elephant calf would finally be known as Zuri. This name received nearly half of the almost ten-thousand ballots turned in to Hogle Zoo. African for “adorable” or “beautiful,” Hogle Zoo’s little elephant calf certainly is, and will continue to be a very popular part of Elephant Encounter for years to come.

Learn more about elephants.

Go back to baby Zuri's blog.