Courtesy of John Goodall

After Columbus Zoo and Aquarium employees flocked to the elephant house yesterday to see its newest resident, all came away with the same conclusion: Hank is hefty. “He may be the biggest elephant in a North American zoo,” said Harry Peachey, the Columbus Zoo’s assistant curator.

Yesterday was the first day most zoo employees got a glimpse of Hank, who has been in quarantine on zoo grounds for a month. Today, the public gets its chance. Hank will be on display in the elephant house from 10 a.m. until noon.

At 15,600 pounds, the 23-year-old Asian elephant is more than twice the size of Phoebe, one of two female elephants at the zoo. (Hank’s 24th birthday is Monday, and the zoo will celebrate by giving the elephant a treat at 11 a.m., when he also will be on display.)

Connie, the other female, weighs about 9,000 pounds. Coco, the zoo’s breeding male until his unexpected death last year, is between 10,000 and 12,000 pounds.

The hope is that Hank will mate and produce offspring to add to the herd, which includes 2-year-old Beco. Peachey said he hopes that mating will occur naturally, but artificial insemination is a possibility if necessary.

In the meantime, Hank is being introduced gradually to the other elephants. First, he spent time in an area where they could smell and hear one another. This week, all the elephants stood near an opening in a door so they could touch one another with their trunks. Next, they’ll be up close and personal in the same enclosure. Peachey said he doesn’t expect problems.

Before coming to Columbus, Hank lived for 16 years at Riddle’s Elephant and Wildlife Sanctuary in Greenbrier, Ark. He was born at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and spent time at the Bronx Zoo and Have Trunk Will Travel, a California elephant-rental company.

Hank has sired one offspring, a calf that did not survive.

“He’s so laid back,” Peachey said. “It’s phenomenal how relaxed he is; it’s indicative of his confidence level.”

Peachey said that when elephants are placed in a strange enclosure, nine out of 10 stay in one place, sniffing and observing. Hank, however, investigated every corner of the elephant enclosure yesterday as soon as he arrived.

He twirled hay in his trunk, waded into the elephant pool, scratched his back on a fake tree and ambled along the front of the enclosure, unfazed by the stares of zookeepers and others.

“We’ve lucked out,” Peachey said, a grin spreading across his face.

How the estimated weight (in pounds) of the Columbus Zoo’s new elephant, Hank, compares with that of other Asian elephants at the zoo.

Hank: 15,600

Connie: 9,000

Phoebe: 7,000

Hank's history - age 24 years - names Hank (Rajah, Samuel R I, Sammy, Curley)

Born -- 01-16- 1988 captive-born in
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay (Busch Gardens Africa)

Bronx Zoo - 06-14 -1989
from Busch Gardens Tampa Bay (Busch Gardens Africa)

International Animal Exchange (Ferndale) -05-26 -1993
from Bronx Zoo

Have Trunk Will Travel (Gary and Kari Johnson) -09-21 -1993
from International Animal Exchange (Ferndale)

Riddles Elephant and Wildlife Sanctuary -05-24-1996
from Have Trunk Will Travel (Gary and Kari Johnson)

Columbus Zoo and Aquarium 12-08- 2011
from Riddles Elephant and Wildlife Sanctuary