Win Thida

Asian elephant (Elephas maximus)

Female, born April 19, 1967 in Birma

Arrived at Artis on October 11, 2004.

Win Thida is a former logging elephant with some problems of adaptation, but in Artis she's doing fine. After roaming some other Dutch zoos she finally found her place in Amsterdam. On June 5, 1989 she entered the enclosure of Amersfoort Zoo together with her daughter Jula. After a visit to Rotterdam Zoo for mating with Ramon she came home without becoming pregnant.

On July 2002 she moved, without Jula, to Burgers' Zoo in Arnhem but soon problems began with the other elephants and thus she had to pack her trunks again. This time she went to Amsterdam, where the zoo was looking for an "aunt" for the expecting baby of Thong Tai.

Between 2003 and 2004 Win Thida, Thong Tai and Nikolai came to Amsterdam to form a new herd. The two present and older ladies Suseela and Jumbo moved in the same period to the zoo of Ostrawa in the Czech Republic.

Win Thida was moved to Artis because of her experience as a mother and to assist the pregnant Thong Tai. Of course the keepers were a bit worried about her spirit but everything was going fine and she and Thong Tai became good friends.

During the delivery of Yindee, Win Thida stood next to Thong Tai and gave her all the support she could. Aunt Win Thida is very sweet for the baby altough she sometimes wants the baby for herself.  Maybe she's missing her own daughter?

The present herd in Artis exists of a group of close friends and hopely Win Thida has finally found her home here.

Page up