|
Oregon Zoo elephant experts have more than 170 years of combined elephant experience.
Mike Keele, Deputy Director
Mike Keele is one of the leading Asian elephant experts in North America. He chairs the AZA’s Species Survival Plan for Asian elephants, coordinating breeding efforts among zoos across the country. Keele authors the Asian elephant “studbook,” which tracks the reproductive status of every elephant in AZA facilities. He also played a key role in the Elephant Planning Initiative, which established the AZA’s standards for elephant management and care. Internationally, he is a member of the World Conservation Union’s Asian Elephants Specialist Group.
As deputy director, Keele oversees all areas of animal management at the Oregon Zoo. He began his career at the zoo in 1971, and has been here ever since. He spent much of that time in the elephant barn as a keeper, working closely with the zoo’s herd and participating in important research. His knowledge and experience make him an invaluable resource for the zoo’s elephant program.
|
|
