OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – The Omaha Zoo is celebrating the first birthdays of its baby elephants, Eugenia and Sonny.
According to Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, Eugenia was born at the Zoo on Jan. 7, 2022. She was the first African elephant born at the Omaha Zoo. Sonny is the second African elephant born at the Zoo. He was born on Jan. 30, 2022.
The two elephants have grown since they were first welcomed to the Zoo. Eugenia first weighed at 181 pounds less than 10 days after being born, and she now weighs 696 pounds. Sonny first weighed at 202 pounds and is now 770 pounds.
To Zoo is inviting the public to join in celebrating the elephants’ birthdays. A public birthday party will be Saturday, Jan. 21, at 10:30 a.m. in the Elephant Family Quarters. There will be a special birthday enrichment for the elephants, cupcakes for the public, and photo opportunities with cutouts of Eugenia and Sonny.
The birthday activities are free to participate in with regular paid Zoo admission or membership.
There are eight elephants, including Eugenia and Sonny, in the herd at the Omaha Zoo.
I am broadly interested in how human activities influence the ability of wildlife to persist in the modified environments that we create.
Specifically, my research investigates how the configuration and composition of landscapes influence the movement and population dynamics of forest birds. Both natural and human-derived fragmenting of habitat can influence where birds settle, how they access the resources they need to survive and reproduce, and these factors in turn affect population demographics. Most recently, I have been studying the ability of individuals to move through and utilize forested areas which have been modified through timber harvest as they seek out resources for the breeding and postfledging phases. As well I am working in collaboration with Parks Canada scientists to examine in the influence of high density moose populations on forest bird communities in Gros Morne National Park. Many of my projects are conducted in collaboration or consultation with representatives of industry and government agencies, seeking to improve the management and sustainability of natural resource extraction.
