A 37-year-old elephant previously residing in Baton Rouge will be reuniting with another elephant he was raised with in Sri Lanka.
According to National Zoo officials, Bozie, an Asian elephant, arrived at the zoo this week. She will be reuniting with 38-year-old Shanthi. The two elephants lived in Sri Lanka briefly at the Elephant Orphanage department of Wildlife Conservation before being transported to North America.
Bozie will be joining two other elephants at the National Zoo; Shanthi's 11-year-old Kandula and 65-year-old Ambika.
“Social interaction is key to an elephant’s mental and physical well-being,” Don Moore, associate director of Animal Care Sciences, said. “We do everything we can to encourage these natural social bonds. I’m so jazzed for our herd and elephant team!”
Keepers said it will be some time before Bozie is on exhibit with the rest of the herd.
