Brookfield Zoo welcomed its newest addition — Joyce, a 26-year-old African elephant — Sunday, Aug. 9, filling the void left by the death of another elephant just months ago.
Coming from Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo, Calif., Joyce traveled by truck with a team of elephant experts from both Brookfield and Six Flags as well as a zoo veterinarian.
“We had good weather, and Joyce handled beautifully,” Kim Smith, the zoo’s vice president of animal care, said. “It went really well, and we’re very happy.”
Joyce’s transition into Brookfield Zoo’s African elephant program comes following the May 15 loss of 40-year-old Affie, whose death was caused by heart failure and sparked controversy among animal advocacy groups. Zoo officials have spent the past three months scrambling to find a replacement, emphasizing the importance of a new companion for the zoo’s other African elephant, 28-year-old Christy.
Smith said the zoo went to great lengths to find a match for Christy, until now the only elephant in Chicago area zoos. While the two elephants have not yet met, Smith said their personalities are compatible, and a series of supervised introductions will start in the coming weeks.
“We are developing a plan based on their personalities and reactions,” Smith said. “We’re going to take it as slow as they need it, and we have experts helping us. Our focus is on the animals.”
To start, Joyce and Christy will appear in the African elephant exhibit on a rotating schedule. They will appear together after the introductory period.
Joyce had been at the California facility since 2005, and was previously owned by several individuals and a traveling circus. She comes to the zoo as part of a cooperative loan, the zoo said.
“She is a very beautiful animal,” Smith said. “She has a very pretty face. She’s playful and enthusiastic.”
When Joyce got off of the truck Sunday night, she did not immediately want to go inside, so her trainers let her spend time in the outdoor elephant yard. Smith said the elephant is now adjusting well to her new home.
Chicago Zoological Society President and CEO Stuart Strahl said Joyce’s arrival is part of the zoo’s commitment to elephants.
“Zoos play an important role in elephant conservation globally and we plan to continue expanding our elephant program and our work on behalf of elephants in the wild,” Strahl said.
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