Asian elephant arrives in Oklahoma

OKLAHOMA CITY, Dec. 15 (UPI) -- An Oklahoma zoo said its elephant herd has grown to four animals with the arrival of a male Asian elephant named Rex.

The Oklahoma City Zoo said Rex arrived Tuesday from Cambridge, Ontario, Canada, and will spend 30 days in quarantine before joining the rest of the pachyderms on display, The Oklahoman, Oklahoma City, reported Wednesday.

"We've made a real commitment to elephant conservation and breeding," Oklahoma City Zoo Executive Director Dwight Scott said. "These are magnificent, beautiful and intelligent animals. They need to be preserved."

Scott said the zoo welcomed a new elephant to its herd this year with the April 15 birth of calf Malee.

Zoo officials said they are hoping Rex will breed with the female adult elephants, Asha and Chandra.

"This is a critical step in our breeding program," Scott said. "We've been working for years to pull all of this together."

Source: United Press International (UPI).
Link: http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2011/12/15/Asian-elephant-arrives-in-Oklahoma/UPI-88071323937800/.