Dating Game Begins For Elephants

The animal world's version of "The Dating Game" is underway out at the Tulsa Zoo. Two female Asian elephants are in from the Oklahoma City Zoo. While they are in Tulsa, a planned meeting with a male elephant may produce new baby elephants.

The News On 6's Rick Wells went to the zoo and found Sneezy. The bull elephant is putting his best foot forward.

Sneezy is 35-years-old, soon to be 36 and according to the Species Survival Plan, the number one male Asian elephant for reproducing in the country.

"Genetically he's very valuable," said Mike Connolly of the Tulsa Zoo and Living Museum.

The females are 11-year-old Chandra and 13-year-old Asha.

It's like the Oklahoma version of "The Dating Game."

For now they plan to keep everyone separated, most zoo visitors don't know what's going on.

Wes Sims, who is the supervisor of pachyderms at the Oklahoma City Zoo, says the girls are in Tulsa for a couple of reasons. To make way for a new elephant exhibit in Oklahoma City and a possible mating with Sneezy is a big plus.

"We hope to have two young ones in Oklahoma City," said Sims.

The possibility is great news for an otherwise endangered species and Sneezy's pretty happy, too.

The new girls will be kept off exhibit until they get used to their new surroundings. Zoo officials tell The News On 6 they hope we'll all be able to see them sometime this summer.

As for the ultimate success of the breeding, well, that's up to the elephants.