Introduction to Hiroshima City Asa Zoological Park
２０２５年８月に生まれたマルミミゾウのアオくん
生後４か月で体重は１００Kgから１５０Kgに成長！
マルミミゾウはアフリカゾウの亜種で、動物園では世界に４頭しかいなく、アフリカに１頭と ここ広島市安佐動物公園にこの子を含めて３頭（うち１頭のオスはブリーディングローンで山口県のサファリパークから。）
とても貴重で珍しい動物といえます。
Ao, a male African forest elephant, was born in August 2025.
By the age of four months, his weight had increased dramatically—from around 100 kilograms to approximately 150 kilograms—showing healthy and steady growth.
The African forest elephant is a subspecies of the African elephant and is extremely rare in zoos. Currently, there are only four individuals in captivity worldwide: one in Africa and three in Japan. Among those in Japan, three elephants—including Ao—are housed here at Hiroshima City Asa Zoological Park. One of them is a male on a breeding loan from a safari park in Yamaguchi Prefecture.
Because of this, Ao is considered an exceptionally rare and valuable animal.
お母さんの名前はメイで当初はアフリカゾウの亜種サバンナゾウと見られていたのですが遺伝子検査の結果マルミミゾウと判明。
2歳ころにアフリカのブルキナファソからやってきました。
昔は園の中で飼育員さんとサッカーなどイベントもあったのですが 動物福祉の観点から現在は行われていません・・・
人工飼育で育ったようで、当初は出産しても子育てするか不安だったそうですが、ベテランママさんのようにアオを育てています。
Her name is Mei. At first, she was believed to be an African savanna elephant, a subspecies of the African elephant. However, genetic testing later revealed that she is actually an African forest elephant, a much rarer species.
Mei came to the zoo from Burkina Faso in Africa when she was about two years old.
In the past, the zoo held special events where she interacted closely with her caretakers, including activities such as playing soccer. Today, however, these events are no longer held, as animal welfare has become a higher priority.
Mei appears to have been raised in captivity. Because of this, there were concerns about whether she would be able to care for her calf when she gave birth for the first time. Fortunately, those worries proved unnecessary. She is now raising her calf, Ao, calmly and confidently, just like an experienced mother.
