Raja the elephant, a big draw at the St. Louis Zoo, is moving to Columbus to breed

By JIM SALTER
Associated Press

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Raja the elephant has been one of the biggest attractions — literally and figuratively — at the St. Louis Zoo for decades. Now, he’s moving away. The zoo announced Thursday that the male Asian elephant born at the zoo nearly 31 years ago will be relocated to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in Ohio, probably in about a year. The hope is that he’ll bond with four females in Columbus, breed, and mentor a young male there. The Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Asian Elephant Species Survival Plan recommended the move. The program seeks to manage the Asian elephant population in North America and maximize their health, wellbeing and genetic diversity.