# data[].attributes.headline
Overview of the Laws Affecting Zoos (Animal Legal and Historical Center)

# data[].attributes.subject
Overview of the Laws Affecting Zoos (Animal Legal and Historical Center)

# data[].attributes.body
A piece explaining the laws restricting zoos from exchanging animals left and right. (If the link doesn't work, search up "laws affecting zoos". It's the second result.)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Overview of the Laws Affecting Zoos | Animal Legal & Historical Center

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This overview outlines the laws pertaining to zoo animals on the state, federal, and international level. It also discusses the importance of voluntary compliance by zoos to maintain appropriate standards, including membership in the American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA). Until the laws are improved, there is stricter control and more enforcement, then zoo animals will continue to suffer.

# data[].attributes.body
A picture of an adult ape hugging a baby ape. Credit to CBS News.

# data[].attributes.body
Breeding in zoos is a lot different from how animals breed in the wild. On this wall, I will include resources where you can do research on breeding.

# data[].attributes.headline
Breeding Programmes (Belfast Zoological Gardens)

# data[].attributes.subject
Breeding Programmes (Belfast Zoological Gardens)

# data[].attributes.body
Check out this article! It illustrates the precautions zoos must take before they breed their animals, and tells the reader all that the zoos must know about the animals they breed.

# data[].attributes.headline
Getting Ready for Baby (Elephant, That Is!) (Saint Louis Zoo)

# data[].attributes.subject
Getting Ready for Baby (Elephant, That Is!) (Saint Louis Zoo)

# data[].attributes.body
An article from the Saint Louis Zoo about what happens when an animal is about to have a baby. A great article for elephant lovers!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
It seems like only yesterday when Raja, our male Asian Elephant, was born. Raja was the first elephant ever born at the Saint Louis Zoo.

Raja is now a father of four elephants: Daughters Maliha (born to Ellie on August 2, 2006), Jade (born to Rani on February 25, 2007), Kenzi (born to Rani on June 24, 2011) and Priya (born to Ellie on April 27, 2013) are part of the Raja's three-generation family herd.
Sri
Sri, a 26-year-old elephant, had been expected to deliver in November 2005. The Zoo was saddened to announce that complications in Sri's pregnancy have led to the death of her calf in utero. Sri's demeanor and attitude remain normal. She's eating well and currently living with her herdmates in River's Edge.

Prenatal care

The birth of an elephant in human care is still a relatively rare event. Every expectant mother-whether elephant or human-needs good health care before giving birth, to safeguard the health of mother and baby. That's definitely the case with our Zoo's expectant elephant cows, who receive the best in prenatal care throughout their 22-month pregnancies.

This care really begins with our every day high standards of care. Our keepers work with the elephants daily, training them to voluntarily participate in their care routine. The animals learn common procedures (like lifting their foot near a "poot panel" so their keepers can perform daily foot care). The elephants are also trained to cooperate with regular veterinary procedures (having blood drawn, for instance) as well as less frequent ones (such as having an ultrasound).

One sure-fire way to know if an elephant is pregnant if by tracking her hormone levels. As with humans, female elephants' reproductive hormones go up and down. The Zoo's Endocrinology Lab tracks our female elephants' hormone levels every week, even before they mate with our male, Raja. (These tests-known as progesterone assays -allow us to follow the cycles of the females, to precisely determine the best time to allow them to breed. All that's left is to introduce the female to Raja for a period of time every day. Then elephant instincts do the rest!)

After confirming the pregnancies, the Zoo's staff began monitoring each cow's weight very carefully. We do not want the mothers to gain a lot of extra weight during pregnancy or the calf to be too big at birth. A baby elephant can weigh 250-350 pounds!

As part of the weight control effort, our staff also started our expectant mothers on an accelerated fitness program. Not only can exercise help manage the cows' weight gain, but it also builds good muscle tone that will help them during delivery.

One last important part of our pre-natal care package is making sure the pregnant moms were well nourished with healthy eating habits.

Birth support group

Rani has a "support group" with all of the female elephants in the herd. They are there for Rani during and after the birth, the same way females behave in a wild elephant herd.

We assigned two keepers to act as delivery coaches, with veterinarians standing by if necessary. We also assembled equipment and supplies that come in handy during delivery. Things like towels, lubricants, and ultrasound machines are familiar even to human obstetricians.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Getting Ready for Baby (elephant, that is!)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
It seems like only yesterday when Raja, our male Asian Elephant, was born. Raja was the first elephant ever born at the Saint Louis Zoo. Raja is now a father of four elephants: Daughters Maliha (born to Ellie on August 2, 2006), Jade (born to Rani on February 25, 2007), Kenzi (born to Rani on June 24, 2011) and Priya (born to Ellie on April 27, 2013) are part of the Raja's three-generation family herd.

# data[].attributes.body
A baby Asian elephant born at the Chester Zoo. Credit to The Telegraph.

# data[].attributes.headline
Conservation Breeding Programmes (World Association of Zoos

# data[].attributes.subject
Conservation Breeding Programmes (World Association of Zoos

# data[].attributes.body
An insightful article about the reason for breeding in captivity. (If the link doesn't work, just search up "breeding in zoos"- it's the first result.)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Conservation Breeding Programmes Zoos and aquariums take part in cooperative international and regional ex situ breeding programmes to form viable populations that can benefit in situ conservation efforts. These breeding programmes serve many purposes: Support demographic and genetic backup to wild populations Provide animals for public education Support important research...