The Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium will welcome a new member tomorrow. Callee is an 18 year old bull African elephant and he comes to Omaha from the Birmingham Zoo.
Callee is moving on a recommendation of the African Elephant Species Survival Plan through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, according to a zoo release. The goal is that Callee will mate with the zoo's five females to increase the population of this endangered species.
Callee was born at the Pittsburgh zoo in 2000 and currently weighs about 8,500 pounds.
The Henry Doorly Zoo has the largest indoor elephant herd space in North America that includes 30,000 square feet a 150,000 gallon pool. The indoor and outdoor space for the herd totals more than five acres.
African elephants are on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and listed as vulnerable. There are an estimated 415,000 African elephants in 37 different African nations, the release states.