Zoo Atlanta Welcomes Titan the Elephant

Zoo Atlanta is excited to welcome a new addition to the African Savanna.

Titan, a 16-year-old adult male African elephant, arrived in Atlanta on January 29, 2025, from Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita, Kansas.

Titan, who weighs around 8,200 pounds, was born in Eswatini, and along with several other elephants, was part of a multi-organizational rescue effort to save elephants impacted by life-threatening drought conditions in their native country in 2016. Having spent his juvenile years among a herd of females and other bull elephants at Sedgwick County Zoo, Titan learned important social skills from his herd-mates. In the wild and in accredited human-care organizations, it is normal for male elephants, upon reaching maturity, to disperse from the herd in which they spent their formative years.

Titan will be a valuable social companion among the elephant group at Zoo Atlanta, which includes adult male Msholo and adult females Kelly and Tara. His move to Atlanta was recommended by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Elephant Species Survival Plan® (SSP), with the recommendation focused on building enriching social dynamics in the Zoo’s herd. Females Kelly and Tara, both now in their 40s, are considered post-reproductive.

The new arrival will have gradual opportunities to get to know the Zoo’s other three African elephants, a species with highly nuanced social behaviors.

“We are very excited to welcome Titan to the elephant herd at Zoo Atlanta, where he will benefit from the daily stewardship of a world-class Elephant Care Team and an environment that represents the most significant transformation in Zoo Atlanta history,” said Raymond B. King, President and CEO. “Our hope is that in getting to know Titan as he becomes a new part of the herd here at the Zoo, our Members and guests will have renewed reasons to join us in protecting African elephants, which have a very uncertain future without conservation action.”

Titan will spend the next several weeks acclimating to an environment which was designed with elephant wellbeing in mind. Opened in 2019, Zoo Atlanta’s African Savanna elephant complex was designed to accommodate up to seven adult elephants and includes numerous features incorporated specifically for elephants. These include three large water features; a feeder enrichment activity wall; and three swing boom enrichment devices that encourage the elephants to forage for food using their trunks, as they would in the wild. Inside, the indoor Zambezi Elephant Center also incorporates elements designed for elephant wellbeing, including sand under the elephants’ feet. The Center was designed to additionally feature a large observation area where Zoo visitors can get a behind-the-scenes look at the elephants’ daily care.

The African Savanna outdoor elephant environments and Zambezi Elephant Center opened in tandem with a major commitment to elephant conservation. Since 2018, Zoo Atlanta has been a significant partner of Conservation South Luangwa, a Zambia-based nonprofit working to protect African elephants and other species from the illegal wildlife trade and human-animal conflict. To learn more about the work of Conservation South Luangwa, supported by Zoo Atlanta, visit cslzambia.org.

Stay tuned for details on when Titan will be visible to Members and guests.

(Photo courtesy of Sedgwick County Zoo)