Itโs official. Reid Park Zooโs big bundle of joy has surpassed 600 pounds.
Born to African elephant Semba on March 8, Meru is now 5 months old and tipping the scale at 605 pounds. Meru is the fifth member of the herd, joining allomother Lungile and big sisters 4-year-old Penzi and Nandi, who will turn 10 on Aug. 20.
Meru is healthy and happy โ and bigger than both her sisters were at her age.
โTheyโre all very similar, but Penzi each month weighed more than Nandi did and now Meru is slated to weigh more than Penzi,โ says elephant care specialist Mara Eisenbarth.
![Meru](https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/7/3f/73fbb1bc-55e0-11ef-a12f-03b93f789395/66b558ddd65ec.image.jpg?resize=200%2C133 200w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/7/3f/73fbb1bc-55e0-11ef-a12f-03b93f789395/66b558ddd65ec.image.jpg?resize=300%2C200 300w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/7/3f/73fbb1bc-55e0-11ef-a12f-03b93f789395/66b558ddd65ec.image.jpg?resize=400%2C267 400w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/7/3f/73fbb1bc-55e0-11ef-a12f-03b93f789395/66b558ddd65ec.image.jpg?resize=540%2C360 540w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/7/3f/73fbb1bc-55e0-11ef-a12f-03b93f789395/66b558ddd65ec.image.jpg?resize=750%2C500 750w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/7/3f/73fbb1bc-55e0-11ef-a12f-03b93f789395/66b558ddd65ec.image.jpg?resize=1200%2C800 1200w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/7/3f/73fbb1bc-55e0-11ef-a12f-03b93f789395/66b558ddd65ec.image.jpg?resize=1700%2C1133 1700w)
Meru has been better at using her trunk more intentionally.
Last month, Meru was still getting familiar with her spaghetti noodle of a trunk, learning how to pick up food to put into her mouth. This month, sheโs learned to better control her trunk and has become more intentional with how she splashes water and mud on herself.
Speaking of water and mud โ she loves both. When zoo staff move the elephants around to shift them in the habitat, Meru is often placed by water. Sheโs loved rolling in mud since she was only 1 week old and that hasnโt changed.
What has changed, though, is Meruโs relationship with Penzi. Month by month, Penzi has become more comfortable and more playful around her baby sister.ย
โPenzi still every now and then will let (Meru) know that sheโs her older sister, in a way thatโs appropriate for them, but they have been spending more time together,โ Eisenbarth says.
![Meru](https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/6/9f/69f41006-55e0-11ef-9856-7394caaf7d0e/66b558cd0d190.image.jpg?resize=200%2C133 200w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/6/9f/69f41006-55e0-11ef-9856-7394caaf7d0e/66b558cd0d190.image.jpg?resize=300%2C200 300w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/6/9f/69f41006-55e0-11ef-9856-7394caaf7d0e/66b558cd0d190.image.jpg?resize=400%2C267 400w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/6/9f/69f41006-55e0-11ef-9856-7394caaf7d0e/66b558cd0d190.image.jpg?resize=540%2C360 540w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/6/9f/69f41006-55e0-11ef-9856-7394caaf7d0e/66b558cd0d190.image.jpg?resize=750%2C500 750w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/6/9f/69f41006-55e0-11ef-9856-7394caaf7d0e/66b558cd0d190.image.jpg?resize=1200%2C800 1200w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/6/9f/69f41006-55e0-11ef-9856-7394caaf7d0e/66b558cd0d190.image.jpg?resize=1700%2C1133 1700w)
Elephant calf Meru is seen here backing into big sister Penzi, which is a communication skill among elephants.
Nandi is still completely enamored by Meru and is becoming more trusting of Penzi to get closer to the calf.
โNandi is always keeping a watchful eye,โ Eisenbarth says. โSheโs still in that mothering role but she doesnโt have to do quite as much interjection.โ
Elephants are big on etiquette. You might see Meru standing with her back-end near Penziโs head. Elephants might position themselves that way as theyโre passing by or trying to eat in the same area, but want to signal that theyโre not trying to steal food.
โThatโs a very submissive move on Meruโs part. Itโs good communication,โ Eisenbarth says. โShe will kinda get pushed away if she doesnโt do that. She learns if she does it the way everyone else does it, she gets the reward of being close. She learns a lot from watching.โ
Meru is also learning how to stand still for longer periods of time, a helpful skill in the event of voluntary blood draws.
One keeper will position themselves in front of Meru while holding some sort of positive reinforcement. Right now, thatโs a puzzle feeder made out of a head of lettuce. Inside the folds are hidden treats like drizzles of pureed acorn squash or diced veggies.
โWe found out recently that pureed carrot is not her favorite โ it gets stuck in her trunk so she spends the session trying to snort it out,โ Eisenbarth says. (For the record, Meru does like raw carrots, just not the mashed-up kind.)
While one keeper holds the lettuce, a second keeper will touch and move Meruโs ear โ the thinnest part of an elephantโs body and the easiest area to see the vein for drawing blood.
โWeโre trying to pair that touching and movement with something really positive so she is comfortable with us touching her ear,โ Eisenbarth says. โNow weโre working on her standing still. It kinda depends on her attention span โ sometimes in the afternoon sheโs a little mellow because sheโs gotten her energy out so she might stick around for longer. But in the morning, her training sessions might be a little shorter just to make sure theyโre all positive.โ
Training sessions at Reid Park Zoo are always voluntary for the elephants and done through positive reinforcement. Training allows staff members to better evaluate the elephantsโ health and well-being.
![Meru](https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/8/7b/87b6fe82-55e0-11ef-bdfa-0b0b6efdcb01/66b558feef881.image.jpg?resize=200%2C133 200w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/8/7b/87b6fe82-55e0-11ef-bdfa-0b0b6efdcb01/66b558feef881.image.jpg?resize=300%2C200 300w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/8/7b/87b6fe82-55e0-11ef-bdfa-0b0b6efdcb01/66b558feef881.image.jpg?resize=400%2C267 400w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/8/7b/87b6fe82-55e0-11ef-bdfa-0b0b6efdcb01/66b558feef881.image.jpg?resize=540%2C360 540w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/8/7b/87b6fe82-55e0-11ef-bdfa-0b0b6efdcb01/66b558feef881.image.jpg?resize=750%2C500 750w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/8/7b/87b6fe82-55e0-11ef-bdfa-0b0b6efdcb01/66b558feef881.image.jpg?resize=1200%2C800 1200w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/8/7b/87b6fe82-55e0-11ef-bdfa-0b0b6efdcb01/66b558feef881.image.jpg?resize=1700%2C1133 1700w)
Although Meru is still bonding with the other elephants, she's also able to be independent and entertain herself.
While still interacting with the herd, Meru has become more independent, completely satisfied with entertaining herself. Sheโs been caught on camera climbing back and forth on the same log several times as the rest of the herd eats their lunch.
โSheโs just content hanging out with herself,โ Eisenbarth says.
Sheโs also starting to eat solids a bit more often. She gets her own pile of hay now and while sheโll face plant into it at first, sheโll actually manage to eat a good bit of it. Sheโs also been testing out what everyone else is eating, from tree branches to vegetables.
โThereโs been a bit more trumpeting when sheโs having extra fun โ usually paired with mud or water, but her little voice is definitely coming out,โ Eisenbarth says.
Elephant siblings Meru, Penzi and Nandi play in the mud at Reid Park Zoo. Video courtesy Reid Park Zoo