November 7, 2017
It’s a special day at Seneca Park Zoo as one of the Zoo’s four African elephants, Genny C, is 40 years old. Genny C arrived with Lilac in 1979 and has been a favorite among Zoo guests and staff for over three decades. Her beauty and wonderful personality have made it hard not to fall in love with her.
Genny C loves her time with her keepers, especially bath time. Genny C knows over 70 different behaviors, which help keepers and veterinary staff monitor her health. Her favorite reward is a bagel! Genny C and Lilac have spent most of their lives with one another, so the duo are seen together quite often. Genny C always has something to say. If you listen closely, you will likely hear her making some sort of noise.Since Genny C enjoys spending time with her keepers, she has been involved in many research projects that have helped researchers learn more about elephants in conservation care and in their natural range. Some of these include ground breaking work understanding infra-sound (below human hearing) communication among elephants and a multi-institutional study of elephant reproductive cycles. Genny C’s trust in her keepers has also allowed the Zoo to bring in other elephant professionals and zoo veterinarians to learn from her.
Genny C is in good health and weighs in at a healthy 8,214 lbs.! We fully expect her to be with us for many more years.During your next trip to the Zoo, be sure to visit the elephant habitat and spend some time with Genny C She may just inspire you to take action for African elephants. If you want to support efforts that help save this species from extinction, attend a ZooBrew (or ZooBrrrew in the winter). A portion of every ticket goes to International Elephant Foundation. It is estimated that 96 elephants are poached each day, but with your help, we can continue making strides towards decreasing that number.– Lindsay Brinda, Elephant Manager
