Mabu, the adult African elephant at the Reid Park Zoo who fathered Nandi, is being returned to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, local zoo officials said Friday.
The transfer will occur sometime this fall and zoo officials said people who want to see Mabu before he is sent to San Diego should plan a visit soon. His specific departure date will not be announced by the zoo.
Mabu came to Reid Park to help establish a herd of five elephants for the zoo's Tanzania habitat, which opened in 2012. He successfully bred with one of the zoo's adult females, Semba, and Nandi was born two years later.
Mabu will return to his former herd in San Diego with the hope that he will successfully breed there, zoo officials said.
"While we will be said to see him go, close working relationships between zoos can allow for male elephants to move among herds for breeding and social opportunities," said Sue Tygielski, the zoo's elephant manager.
The zoo currently has six elephants: Mabu, Semba, Lungile, Punga, Sundzu and Nandi.
