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Today in Smithsonian History: December 14, 1993

Kumari and her mother Shanthi, take a companionable stroll in the National Zoo’s elephant enclosure. Shanthi is a Sri Lankan elephant and was the first elephant to reproduce at the Zoo. At 6 months, Kumari weighed in at 416 pounds and was eating solid food. (Photo by Jessie Cohen, as featured in the Torch, June 1994)

December 14, 1993 Kumari, an Asian elephant, is born to Shanthi at the National Zoological Park. She is the first elephant to be born at the Zoo. Unfortunately, Kumari died on April 26, 1995. A herpes virus was found to be the cause of death and the Zoo’s research helps save the lives of young elephants born in other zoos.

Today, the Smithsonian’s National Zoo is home to six female elephants, Shanthi (b. ca. 1975 in Sri Lanka); Bozie (b. ca. 1975 in Sri Lanka); Ambika (b. ca. 1948 in India); Kamala (b. ca. 1975 in Sri Lanka); Swarna (b. ca. 1975 in Sri Lanka); Maharani (b. 1990 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada).

Elephant Trails is one of the most popular exhibits at the Zoo. The new expanded home fosters the development of a thriving, reproducing, multigenerational herd. Visitors can see the elephants both indoors and out, giving them an opportunity to learn about the elephants in their rich and diverse Zoo environment.

Elephant Trails not only allows visitors to see and learn about Asian elephants, it also gives scientists at the National Zoo new opportunities to study elephants.

Learn more about elephants in the wild and in human care from the Smithsonian Channel >>

Courtesy of Smithsonian Institution Archives and the National Zoo