Two elephants at Columbus Zoo expecting calves by 2025

COLUMBUS — Two Asian elephants at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium are pregnant, the zoo announced last week.

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Phoebe, 37, and Sundara (Sunny), 15, are both expecting calves next year, according to veterinarians at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium.

It is the first time in history that two elephants have been pregnant at the same time.

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Phoebe currently has a 3-year-old calf named Frankie. She has had five calves already, four of which were born at the Columbus Zoo. This is Sunny’s first pregnancy.

The father of both calves is Sabu, who was staying at Columbus Zoo temporarily while the Elephant Trek Habitat at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden was being constructed. Sabu has since returned to Cincinnati Zoo.

There are currently five elephants in the Columbus Zoo herd: 23-year-old male Johnson, Phoebe, sisters Sundara and Rudy (age 22), and Phoebe’s son, Frankie.

“This is a very exciting time for us as these pregnancies provide us with the opportunity to care for a multigenerational herd, which is beneficial for the elephants and their social dynamics. The upcoming births also provide fresh hope for Asian elephant conservation, helping to ensure a genetically diverse and healthy population of elephants in North American zoos,” Adam Felts, the Senior Curator of Animal Care and Director of Animal Wellbeing said. “These efforts align with our global commitment, ensuring that Asian elephants are protected in the wild.”

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