Get to Know the Herd of Asian Elephants Living at the Zoo

Spike was born July 2, 1981, and arrived in Washington, D.C. on March 23, 2018. Before joining our herd, he lived at the Calgary Zoo in Canada with Swarna and Maharani, and also spent time at Busch Gardens in Tampa, Fla. 

Keepers say Spike has the personality of a “gentleman.” He’s calm, laid back, and gets along well with the females of the herd. 

Want to spot him? Weighing approximately 13,000 pounds and standing just under 10 feet tall, Spike is the Zoo’s largest elephant. Only the males grow large tusks, which makes Spike easy to tell apart from to the rest of the group.  

Even among other male Asian elephants, Spike stands out for his almost prehistoric-looking appearance. His tall stature, long front legs and the muscular hump of his back call to mind a woolly mammoth. 

One of the Zoo's newest arrivals, Trong Nhi came to Washington, D.C. on Nov. 7, 2022, from Rotterdam Zoo in the Netherlands. She arrived at the Zoo with her daughter, Nhi Linh. Trong Nhi was born May 13, 2003, at Rotterdam Zoo.

Keepers say Trong Nhi is very intelligent, attentive, and picks up on routines and patterns quickly. She can also be stubborn and has a protective relationship with Nhi Linh. 

Want to spot her? Trong Nhi’s right ear has a pale pink stripe and folds forward at the top. You may also notice the two domes at the top of her head are of slightly different heights. 

Nhi Linh was born Aug. 10, 2013, at Rotterdam Zoo in the Netherlands. She arrived at the Zoo on Nov. 7, 2022, with her mother, Trong Nhi. 

Keepers say she’s playful and has a “go with the flow” attitude. Although she likes socializing with the rest of the herd, she can often be seen hanging out with Trong Nhi. 

Want to spot her? Nhi Linh is energetic and inquisitive. She’s always on the move, so you might find her playing with enrichment items or interacting with another elephant. 

Bozie was born in the wild around 1975 and was rescued at the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage in Sri Lanka. She has spent time at several zoos and made her latest move to the Smithsonian's National Zoo in May 2013. 

The keepers call her an “elephant’s elephant”—she gets along well with each member of the herd. Personality-wise, she’s sassy, sweet, and loves playing games. When she becomes excited, she’ll squeak, honk and trumpet. 

Want to spot her? Bozie can be identified by her pale gray skin tone, which is lighter than the rest of the herd. She also has two very large domes on the top of her head. She also has a pink streak through the middle of her right ear. 

Swarna traveled from Calgary Zoo to the Smithsonian's National Zoo in May 2014 along with Maharani. Born in the wild around 1975, Swarna was rescued at the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage in Sri Lanka, where she lived alongside Bozie for a short time. 

Interestingly, Swarna doesn’t vocalize as much to the rest of the herd… at least, not on a level that humans can hear. Elephants can communicate to each other through low rumbles, which is how Swarna chooses to connect with her herd mates.   

Swarna has a quiet personality and is easygoing with other elephants and keepers. She’s very active, and is often seen roaming through the habitat or eating hay. 

Want to spot her? You can recognize her from the pale polka-dotted stripe that runs along the outer edges of her ears. 

Maharani, or “Rani,” as she is affectionately called, is one of the tallest elephants of the herd. She was born July 14, 1990 at the Calgary Zoo in Canada.

Her name means “princess” in Hindi; true to that name, she has a big personality. She expects attention from keepers, acts out occasionally, and often looks to other elephants for direction when faced with something new.  

Want to spot her? Look for her long legs and her long tail hairs. She’s very intelligent, likes doing training sessions with keepers and loves to solve puzzles. Watch for when she’s excited—she'll flap her ears. 

Scientific research at the National Zoo leads to cutting-edge technology that saves elephants in the wild. Learn more about how we protect elephants. 

Can’t get to the Zoo? Check out the Elephant Cam and see which ones you’ll find!