He's 8 Months Old, Weighs 1,000 Pounds And Is Not Obese- Because He Is Oregon Zoo's Baby Elephant

By Bill LaMarche 

Portland, OR - He's getting big! Samudra, the Oregon Zoo's Asian elephant calf, tipped the scales at 995 pounds today, and keepers expect the "little guy" will pass the 1,000-pound mark tomorrow, eight months to the day after his birth last August.

"Samudra is growing up to be a big, healthy boy -- just like his daddy," said Bob Lee, senior elephant keeper at the zoo.

And while it will take another six tons or so before this youngster's in the same league as Tusko, his 13,500-pound father, keepers do expect big things from Sam. He weighed 286 at birth and since then has gained an average of about 22 pounds a week. 

"He's packed on more than 700 pounds in only eight months," Lee said. "We're thrilled with the way he's been growing and progressing."

Sam is still nursing, though the amount of milk he takes each day can vary greatly depending on how active he is and how much solid food he eats.

"To answer how much he eats in pounds, I can't even guess," Lee said. "Some days I'll see him trying to eat things all day, other days nothing."

Samudra, born Aug. 23, 2008, at the zoo, had a rough start to life. His mother, Rose-Tu, became confused after giving birth and nearly trampled her baby before keepers quickly intervened. Lee believes Rose-Tu became confused because she had never seen a birth before. Until the new baby's arrival, she had been the last elephant born at the zoo.

Zoo staff worked around the clock during the calf's first week of life to help ensure the critical reintroduction to Rose-Tu was working, and now the mother-calf bond is a strong one. As Samudra grows older, Tusko will be introduced and allowed to interact with him as well.

To see video of Sam weighing in, nursing and spending some quality time with his mom, Rose-Tu, visit And while it will take another six tons or so before this youngster's in the same league as Tusko, his 13,500-pound father, keepers do expect big things from Sam. He weighed 286 at birth and since then has gained an average of about 22 pounds a week.

"He's packed on more than 700 pounds in only eight months," Lee said. "We're thrilled with the way he's been growing and progressing."

Sam is still nursing, though the amount of milk he takes each day can vary greatly depending on how active he is and how much solid food he eats. 

"To answer how much he eats in pounds, I can't even guess," Lee said. "Some days I'll see him trying to eat things all day, other days nothing."

Samudra, born Aug. 23, 2008, at the zoo, had a rough start to life. His mother, Rose-Tu, became confused after giving birth and nearly trampled her baby before keepers quickly intervened. Lee believes Rose-Tu became confused because she had never seen a birth before. Until the new baby's arrival, she had been the last elephant born at the zoo.

Zoo staff worked around the clock during the calf's first week of life to help ensure the critical reintroduction to Rose-Tu was working, and now the mother-calf bond is a strong one. As Samudra grows older, Tusko will be introduced and allowed to interact with him as well.

To see video of Sam weighing in, nursing and spending some quality time with his mom, Rose-Tu, visit www.oregonzoo.org/VideoArchive/Samudra1000.htm.

Asian elephants are represented by an estimated 38,000 to 51,000 individuals living in fragmented populations in the wild. Agriculture, deforestation and conflict with humans pose a constant threat to wild Asian elephants.

The Oregon Zoo has a renowned breeding program for this endangered species. More than 25 Asian elephants have been born at the zoo, beginning with Packy in 1962. Samudra is the first third-generation elephant to be born in the United States.

The zoo is a service of Metro and is dedicated to its mission to inspire the community to create a better future for wildlife. Committed to conservation, the zoo is currently working to save endangered California condors, Washington's pygmy rabbits, Oregon silverspot butterflies, western pond turtles, Oregon spotted frogs and Kincaid's lupine. Other projects include studies on black rhinos, Asian elephants, polar bears and bats.

The zoo opens at 9 a.m. daily and is located five minutes from downtown Portland, just off Highway 26. The zoo is also accessible by MAX light rail line. Zoo visitors are encouraged to ride MAX or take TriMet bus No. 63. Visitors who take the bus or MAX receive $1 off zoo admission. Call TriMet Customer Service, 503-238-RIDE (7433), or visit www.trimet.org for fare and route information.

General admission is $9.75 (12-64), seniors $8.25 (65+), children $6.75 (3-11), and infants 2 and under are free; 25 cents of the admission price helps fund regional conservation projects through the zoo's Future for Wildlife program. A parking fee of $2 per car is also required. Additional information is available at www.oregonzoo.org or by calling 503-226-1561.

Photo: Samudra, the Oregon Zoo's 8-month-old Asian elephant, enjoys some hay in the elephant exhibit's back yard. Right behind Sam are his mom, Rose-Tu (center), and "aunties" Chendra (left) and Shine. Photo by Melinda Holland, courtesy of the Oregon Zoo.

Oregon Zoo " 4001 SW Canyon Rd. " Portland, Oregon 97221 " 503-226-1561

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