Adult Swim: Samudra to get new home in 2027

He's made a big splash in Oregon - quite a few big splashes in fact - but even bigger things are in store for Asian elephant Samudra. The 18-year-old pachyderm will relocate to the Saint Louis Zoo next year as part of a concerted effort to promote strong social groups within accredited zoos and help secure a long-term future for one of the world's most vulnerable species.

"As hard as it will be for us to say goodbye, we know this is the right thing for Samudra," said Steve Lefave, who oversees the Oregon Zoo's elephant area. "Wild elephant herds are made up of related females and their offspring. Young males naturally move away from the herd they were raised in during their teen years. Samudra has reached that point, and he needs this opportunity to mingle freely with a different herd."

An exact departure date has not been determined, but Samudra fans will have plenty of time to visit before he leaves. Lefave expects the elephant will stay at the Oregon Zoo at least until next spring.

"This is something we've been working toward and talking about for several years, and it's great to know we can finally make it happen," Lefave said. "The Saint Louis Zoo has a terrific elephant area and an expert animal-care team. It will be a great place for Samudra to get acquainted with a new herd."

The St. Louis elephant habitat is part of the zoo's immersive River's Edge area, a lushly planted landscape with waterfalls, streams and large pools.

"Knowing how much Samudra loves the water, I think he's really going to like it there," Lefave said. "He'll have access to a shallow splash pad as well as a deep pool where he can fully submerge and swim the length of the habitat. There are plenty of opportunities for him to play, swim and splash around."

Eventually, caregivers hope the young male hits it off with members of the female herd in St. Louis - perhaps adding to the population of their endangered species.

"These animals represent a species that's facing real trouble in the wild," Lefave said. "Over the past 80 years, we've lost more than half the world's Asian elephants, mostly due to habitat loss, conflict with humans and disease."

Asian elephants are listed as endangered by the IUCN, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and face a high risk of global extinction. It's estimated that just 40,000 to 50,000 remain, in fragmented populations from India to Borneo, and their home range overlaps with some of the most populous human areas on the planet - 20% of people worldwide live in or next to Asian elephant habitat.

Samudra's transfer follows a recommendation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums' Species Survival Plan for elephants - a cooperative program aimed at supporting socially stable groups in accredited zoos while creating a genetically diverse, self-sustaining population to secure the species' long-term future.

"We're fighting extinction on two fronts," Lefave said. "We're supporting efforts to help Asian elephants in their range countries while also striving to maintain a healthy population in professional care."

Both efforts are key, according to conservationists.

"Zoos reach a broad public that it would be extremely difficult for us to reach on our own," said Dr. Farina Othman, director of Seratu Aatai, a group working to help elephants in Borneo. "When visitors can see an animal up close, they can form an emotional connection, and that connection can inspire them to care about protecting wildlife in places like Borneo. That's how we can turn that connection into meaningful change for wildlife."

"The more exposure people have," University of Michigan professor Stephanie Preston said in a Forbes article about Samudra's little sister, Tula-Tu, "the more likely they are to consider it important to conserve the spaces where the species live."

Entering the world on Aug. 23, 2008, Samudra was the first third-generation elephant born in the United States. The playful pachyderm, who weighed 286 pounds at birth, now tips the scales at around 10,000 pounds - and he's still growing. Care staff say he could put on another ton over the next couple decades.

The Oregon Zoo is recognized worldwide for its elephant care program, which has spanned more than 60 years. It has established a $1 million endowment fund supporting Asian elephants, including AZA's SAFE program to advance conservation across all 13 of the species' range countries.

Beyond direct elephant care, the zoo collaborates with local partners in Borneo to create lasting conservation solutions, from replanting forests and establishing protected corridors to fostering peaceful coexistence between elephants and communities.