Zina

Photo Credit: Karen Caster

Zina is a 63-year-old Asian elephant that resides at the Little Rock Zoo in Little Rock, Arkansas. She is currently the oldest resident at the zoo that specializes in geriatric elephant care. She is easily recognized by her long skinny trunk, which is partially paralyzed and her sunken in cheeks, caused by her crooked teeth. She’s the smallest of the three elephants, but she’s also the loudest. She is known for her excited trumpeting that can be heard all throughout the zoo.

Zina has a long and interesting history. Originally born in the wild, she arrived in the United States in March 1972 from England’s Billy Smart Circus. She was one of 12 adult elephants brought over, in addition to seven untrained calves. One of those calves, Sophie, also resides at the Little Rock Zoo. Upon arrival in the United States, these elephants were purchased by Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. Zina spent many years performing on the blue unit before she retired in 2005. She arrived at the Center for Elephant Conservation in 2010. In 2011 she was donated to the Little Rock Zoo alongside Jewel to be companions for their lone elephant, Ellen. After Ellen and Jewel both passed away, she was later joined by Babe and Sophie in 2013. Prior to arriving at the zoo, Zina was very selective with her companions. She and Sophie had a history of being hostile towards one another in their former circus years, but the hope was that Zina would bond with Babe. Introductions with Babe began very slowly but to the staff’s surprise, Zina became very attached to her new companion. Due to advanced arthritis seen in both Zina and Sophie the decision was made to never fully introduce the two of them without a barrier and just rotate their time in with Babe. Currently, Zina spends the day with Babe. Then, Babe is put back in with Sophie to spend the night. Zina and Sophie can share yards next to one another and can interact through the fence if inclined to, but they never choose to interact.

I first met Zina when I interned at Ringling’s Center for Elephant Conservation in 2009. At the time, Zina was one of four elephants that were used to teach interns all about basic husbandry and training. She was the first elephant I ever handled on my own. When I asked her to move up for the first time, she just stared at me. I learned in that moment just how smart these animals are and how she knew right away that she was dealing with someone who had no idea what they were doing. I also learned that you must put the time and effort into developing a relationship with them first. As the internship progressed, I became more confident in my new skills and gained some of Zina’s trust. She ended up being my favorite elephant to work with. After my internship, I went on the road with Ringling Bros., and Zina went to Little Rock. In 2012, I reunited with Zina after accepting a position at the zoo and have been with her ever since.

To this day Zina continues to be an excellent teacher. She is the elephant that new employees in our barn work with first. She’s patient and calm but she also loves to give novice handlers a hard time in the beginning just so they know who really is in charge. Once she has your respect, she’s a very willful participant in training. Zina is known to be a bit stubborn and sassy at times. She’s loud, feisty, routine-oriented, and very food-motivated. She loves to be scratched with a rake, drink from the hose, and splash in her mud wallow. Zina is also an excellent ambassador for her wild counterparts. She participates in many tours with the public. She has been fed and patted on by thousands of people who have then gone on to donate to different elephant conservation groups, all because they had a personal experience with her. She has taught many interns, volunteers, and veterinary students all about elephant health and husbandry. Many of Zina’s former handlers often reach out to ask how she is doing. In fact, she was recently visited by one of her original trainers from the Billy Smart Circus in England. Zina has made a huge impact on the elephant community. Her fascinating history along with her personable demeaner will continue to inspire many future elephant enthusiasts for years to come.

Photo Credit: Kristin Grove