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Olan, the Zoo’s male Malayan tiger left El Paso earlier this week for the Palm Beach Zoo in Florida.

Olan was born at the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle in on November 12, 2013 and came to El Paso four years ago in hopes that he would breed with our 17- year-old female Seri. That match up never happened and finally the Malayan Tiger Species Survival Plan decided that it would be best for Olan’s DNA be represented somewhere else. The recommendation was made earlier this year to send Olan to Palm Beach. The Palm Beach Zoo has had success breeding Malayan tigers and three cubs were born there in 2020.

A little over a year ago we reported on this blog that critically endangered Malayan tigers in he wild have dramatically decreased in numbers from an estimated population of 500 in 2005 to fewer than 100.  Conservationists and concerned people around the world need to support an “all hands on deck” effort to help ensure that Malayan tigers do not vanish from the wild. Our Zoo has answered the call in not only supporting captive breeding efforts, but also in contributing to conservation efforts in the wild with a donation from our Round Up Conservation Fund.

We all will miss Olan and hope that he will have success with a new mate in Florida. Zoo conservation efforts are critical to saving endangered species around the world. Every year here at the El Paso Zoo we are working to increase our conservation impact. Visit this update to download a copy of our Conservation Report. Printed copies are available from my office.

Rick LoBello, Education and Conservation Curator

El Paso’s tiger exhibit opened in 1997

During the 1980’s the Zoo became integrated into city planning and a master plan was developed in 1988. The new plan would transform the Zoo from a menagerie form of exhibits to one based on zoogeography, presenting animals based on their general global geographic position in the world. Association of Zoos and Aquariums accreditation was applied for at this time and the El Paso Zoo became an AZA accredited Zoo in 1980. The new master plan focused on the major continents of the world including North and South America, Africa, Australia and Asia. This ambitious plan would cost millions of dollars and begin initial phases starting in 1988. The Asia exhibit area was planned and built in the early 1990’s.

Photos by Rick LoBello
Cover – by Jutta M. Jenning, Wikimedia Creative Commons