Shanti
Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) at
Houston Zoo in United States

Biography

♀ Shanti

Identification

SSP nr	308

Description
Species:	Asian elephant (Elephas maximus)
Sex and age:	Female ♀ 36 years old
Management:	Free contact
Origin
Born:	* 1990-10-11 captive-born
Birth place:	in Lincoln Park Zoo

Parents:	♂ Onyx (Big Mac) x ♀ Bozie
Offspring
Total: 7 babies

1. Born 2004-08-17 (dead † 2005-04-15)	♀ Bella SSP id: 552

2. Born 2006-10-01 (dead † 2008-11-09)	♂ Mac SSP id: 645

3. Born 2010-05-04	♂ Baylor SSP id: 671

4. Born 2014-02-07	♂ Duncan SSP id: 760

5. Born 2017-07-12	♀ Joy SSP id: 00

6. Born 2020-05-12	♂ Nelson SSP id: 00

7. Born 2024-11-15	♀ Kirby SSP id: XX
Locations - owners
Present / last location:	Houston Zoo, in United States

Date of arrival

2001-04-09	Houston Zoo from AEPIF-ARC (Murray Hill-Arlan Seidon)

1995-09-12	AEPIF-ARC (Murray Hill-Arlan Seidon) from Buffalo Zoo

1995-04-18	Buffalo Zoo from Lincoln Park Zoo

Record history
History of updates	2009-01-26: Previous locations, SSP, Text, Source 2010-02-09: Text 2010-05-06: not pregnant 2014-02-04: pregnant 2014-02-08: not pregnant

Latest document update	2020-10-18 06:25:24
Google map

Biography

Shanti is a living Female ♀ Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) , located at the Houston Zoo, in United States.

Shanti arrived in 2001-04-09 to the Houston Zoo, relocated from the AEPIF-ARC (Murray Hill-Arlan Seidon), in United States.

Social

Shanti lives together with 12 other elephants at the Houston Zoo: (detailed list)

8. ♂ Chuck born 2008-07-15
9. ♀ Joy born 2017-07-12
10. ♀ Kirby born 2024-11-15
11. ♀ Methai (Me Thai) born 1969
12. ♂ Nelson born 2020-05-12
13. ♂ Teddy born 2021-05-16
14. ♀ Tess born 1981
15. ♂ Thai (Thailand) born 1965
16. ♀ Tilly born 2018-06-17
17. ♂ Tucker born 2005-05-12
18. ♀ Tupelo born 2010-10-03
19. ♀ Winnie born 2021-03-10

Offspring

Total: 7 babies

(F) 2004-08-17 -- † 2005-04-15 Bella SSP id: 552
(M) 2006-10-01 -- † 2008-11-09 Mac SSP id: 645
(M) 2010-05-04 Baylor SSP id: 671
(M) 2014-02-07 Duncan SSP id: 760
(F) 2017-07-12 Joy SSP id: 00
(M) 2020-05-12 Nelson SSP id: 00
(F) 2024-11-15 Kirby SSP id: XX

Origin

Shanti was born captive-born 1990-10-11 at Lincoln Park Zoo.

Parentage

Parents of Shanti are: ♂ Onyx (Big Mac) (father) and ♀ Bozie (mother).

Siblings through the father Onyx (Big Mac):

1985-06-12 -- † 1985-06-12 (F) noname
1991-07-26 -- † 1993-02-28 (F) Maiya (Kate)
1992-09-07 -- † 1992-09-07 (M) stillborn
1992-12-27(M) Raja
1995-02-02(F) Asha
1996-07-02(F) Chandra
1997-09-06 -- † 1997-09-06 (M) stillborn
1998-05-17 -- † 2000-11-29 (M) Kala
1999-11-28 -- † 2002-06-07 (M) Haji
2000-04-12 -- † 2000-04-12 (M) Pete
2000-11-03 -- † 2007-06-08 (F) Hansa

Pedigree

**Shantis ancestral Pedigree:**
P	I	II	III
Shanti	Sire (f): Onyx (Big Mac) Born: 1962 2026-02	Sire ff: Born: 2026-02	Sire fff:
		Sire ff: Born: 2026-02	Dame ffm:
		Dame fm: Born: 2026-02	Sire fmf:
		Dame fm: Born: 2026-02	Dame fmm:
	Dame m: Bozie Born: 1975 2026-02	Sire mf: Born: 2026-02	Sire mff:
		Sire mf: Born: 2026-02	Dame mfm:
		Dame mm: Born: 2026-02	Sire mmf:
		Dame mm: Born: 2026-02	Dame mmm:

Comments / pictures

Shanti was first bred at 11 years old by Thai in the summer of 2002. She gave birth at age 13 to Bella.

In February 2010, the Houston Zoo announced that two of its female elephants were pregnant. Shanti was due to give birth in the spring and Tess in the fall, both impregnated naturally by the zoos breeding bull, Thai.

2014-02-08: Shanti had a 385-lb (174.6) male calf named Duncan early this morning.

Reference list

References

Koehl, Dan, (2026). Shanti, Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) located at Houston Zoo in United States. Elephant Encyclopedia, available online retrieved 19 February 2026 at https://www.elephant.se/database2.php?elephant_id=603. (archived at the Wayback machine)