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Tusko
Tusko, the newest addition to the Oregon Zoo, joined the herd in 2005 on a breeding loan from a private elephant facility in California to create greater genetic diversity among the zoo’s elephants. He was born in 1972 in Southeast Asia, possibly Thailand. Tusko has a stocky build. He stands 10 feet tall at the shoulders and weighs around 14,000 pounds — even more than Packy. His massive trunk is nearly 7 feet long. Despite his name, Tusko does not have the long, impressive tusks many people imagine when they think of elephants. He broke both tusks prior to coming to the Oregon Zoo and his left tusk became chronically infected late in life. In the spring of 2007, he underwent two surgeries to remove the infected tusk. Zoo veterinarians felt it was safer to remove it than to risk a chronic infection, which could lead to more serious health issues.
Samudra
Samudra, "Sam" for short, was born Aug. 23, 2008, and, after a rocky start, the newest addition to the Oregon Zoo’s elephant herd is acclimating nicely. Samudra (Hindi for "lord of the ocean") was named by 17,000 voters because of his love for baths. Keepers have slowly introduced the calf to the rest of the herd, and now he is fully accepted by "aunties" Chendra and Shine. The "little" guy continues to nurse and grow; gaining two to three pounds each day. Sam spends most of the day with his mother, Rose-Tu, and the rest of the herd. He is only separated from Chendra and Shine at night so as to promote an even stronger bond between him and his mother.
THE COWS
Sung-Surin
Sung-Surin is the daughter of Packy and Pet. Her name is Thai for "sunshine," and she is often simply called Shine. She was born Dec. 26, 1982, at the Oregon Zoo. Rama is her half-brother. The two elephants were born within a year of each other, and were close companions before reaching breeding age. The two still socialize together often. Sung-Surin shares many characteristics with her father, Packy. Her personality is nearly identical to his, and she also inherited Packy’s height. She is the tallest female elephant at the zoo and weighs about 8,000 pounds. Physically, she can be distinguished from the other elephants by a slit in her lower right ear.
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