New African elephant joins herd at central California zoo

FRESNO, Calif. (AP) — Central California’s Fresno Chaffee Zoo has welcomed a new African elephant to its herd, officials announced this weekend.

The zoo said Saturday that visitors will be able see the bull named Mabu on the savanna at its African Adventure exhibit.

Mabu was added to the herd on recommendation of the African Elephant Species Survival Plan, which is designed to maintain healthy, genetically diverse and stable species within participating zoos.

General Curator Lyn Myers said in a statement that Mabu has sired several elephant calves “and we look forward to seeing how he and our two females interact with each other” in the hope that they’ll produce offspring.

Mabu joins two female African elephants, a 24-year-old named Nolwazi and her 9-year-old daughter, Amahle, in the zoo’s 13-acre elephant exhibit, the Fresno Bee reported.

Mabu replaces another male elephant, Vus Musi, who was relocated to another participating zoo as part of the Species Survival Plan.