Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium welcomed a new resident Friday morning.
Louie, the Bull African Elephant arrived at the zoo around 8:00 after a long, overnight journey from the Toledo Zoo in Ohio.
The fourteen year old, 6,000 pound elephant was brought to Omaha as a potential mate for the five female elephants at the Henry Doorly Zoo to sustain the genetic diversity of the endangered species.
Director of Reproductive Sciences at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo, Jason Herrick, says getting the female elephants pregnant serves two important purposes. "First, our females came from Swaziland, so their genes are very valuable for the zoo population. Offspring will help ensure those genes are carried into future generations of zoo elephants. Second, the longer elephants go without being pregnant, the harder it is for them to get pregnant. Being pregnant while they are young will help extend their reproductive lifespan.”
Zoo Director Dennis Pate says Louie will join the five females and one juvenile male elephant in the African Grasslands exhibit after he gets acclimated to Omaha. "We're gonna get Louie use to the routine of being here in Omaha. The smells, the sights, the sounds. Getting to know the keepers who are gonna care for him."