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Dynamic relationships shape the herd
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NOTES FROM THE FIELD | 2025 | No. 10
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An elephant’s ears perk up as it curiously swivels towards a rustling
sound. Nearby, another herd member’s eager trunk curls and stretches to
pluck tender leaves from a tree branch. Depending on the relationship of
these two African
elephants, they may share the leafy meal or one of
them might only get the leftovers. It’s all part of being a family.
Elephant families tend
to have complex and ever-changing relationships.
The herd at the San
Diego Zoo Safari Park is no
exception. Swazi, the
matriarch, is a calm and dominant female despite her smaller size and
the other seven members follow her quiet but confident lead. For
elephants, each strategic social choice they make and where they stand
with the matriarch can influence greater access to resources, including
water, foraging opportunities, shade, and preferred sleeping spots.
In 2026, you’ll
experience these incredible social dynamics for yourself
at Denny
Sanford Elephant Valley. Your journey here will take
you across
the savanna and into the heart of our conservation work to save,
protect, and care for endangered African elephants through our Savanna
Conversation Hub. Before you step into the herd’s world,
discover who’s
who in the family.
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NOT-SO-FALSE-ALARM
Earth’s largest land animal has some extraordinary abilities, including
“hearing” through their foot pads in what’s known as seismic
communication. Circle up
and see how the herd at the Safari
Park used
this superpower during a 5.2 magnitude earthquake. Plus,
explore how
other wildlife, from amphibians to birds of prey, tap into their unique
adaptations when the weather changes.
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SAVING SPOTS
With their towering silhouettes, giraffes are watchtowers of the
sprawling African savanna. Unfortunately, their populations have
drastically decreased over last 30 years. We recently celebrated the
birth of Masai giraffe calves at both the Zoo
and Safari
Park, boosting
the global population of their endangered species. Stand tall and learn
more about other critical conservation efforts to save them.
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MAPPING THE FUTURE
The key to saving endangered African elephants might just be in their
genes. With our Savanna
Conservation Hub partners, we’re filling
knowledge gaps by creating an innovative conservation tool: a genomic
atlas. Unearth more
about how this
groundbreaking resource is helping
secure a genetically diverse future for these beloved gentle
giants.
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WILDLIFE HEROES
CHANGE
THE WORLD.
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John, your
ongoing support makes a
lifesaving difference for
African elephants. As a
Wildlife Hero, your monthly
gift will take us further as
we work together to create a
brighter future for this
iconic—and
endangered—species
through
our Savanna Conservation
Hub. And as a Wildlife Hero,
your support will renew hope
for the extraordinary
wildlife relying on us to
thrive—and
survive—each and
every day. You make it all
possible, and we’re forever
grateful for you.
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Your monthly gift
will
make a world of
difference for
wildlife.
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Your support saves wildlife.
San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance is an international conservation
nonprofit and a
registered
501(c)(3) organization. Tax ID# 95-1648219.
With more than 100 years of wildlife care expertise and partnerships
around the
globe, we are saving, protecting, and caring for species worldwide.
Follow along on our mission to save wildlife
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