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| The historic old Elephant House at the Cincinnati Zoo. |
Schottzie's home for nearly half a century, the elegant Indian inspired elephant house of the Cincinnati Zoo was designed by architect James W. McLaughlin. It was originally named the Herbivora House and held rhinos, hippos, tapirs, and elephants.
Another view of the historic Elephant House
For the past hundred years or so, the elephants of the Cincinnati Zoo have lived in the historic elephant house designed to look like the Taj Mahal. The all-concrete structure was built in 1906 on the highest point of the zoo at a cost of $50,000. In the early days, when the building was known as the Herbivora House, the elephants sometimes shared space with kangaroos, bison, rhinos and hippos. In the 1930's there was even a rare Pygmy Elephant from Africa, named Gimpy. The building is 150 feet long, 75 feet high, and was intended for Asian elephants. African elephants would be too large and too strong for the design. In 1975 the remarkable building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Since the Cincinnati elephants moved to the new Elephant Trek several years ago, the empty elephant house is now being converted to a home for giraffes.
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| Now demolished to make room for the new Giant Panda habitat, this is the Copenhagen Zoo Elephant House where Schottzie was born in 1975. A new elephant house was built, and Schottzie's relatives still live there. Photo from my 2013 visit. Schottzie was born to royalty in Copenhagen in on December 15, 1975. Her father Chieng Mai and her mother Buag Hah were royal gifts to the King and Queen of Denmark from the King of Thailand upon their visit.  Chieng Mai, father of Schottzie in Copenhagen.
Among other offspring (ten in total), her parents had previously produced another daughter five years before named Irma, who went to live in Rotterdam. Irma's progeny would later encounter Schottzie in Cincinnati. Schottzie's original name was Irma Boon Ma (another Irma). When she was almost three years old, it was arranged that she should fly to the United States, and her fare was paid by wealthy and eccentric zoo patron Marge Schott, who was owner of the Cincinnati Reds baseball team. Marge had the idea of bringing Schottzie to the games, and to the Opening Day Parade. She insisted on changing the young elephant's name to Princess Schottzie II (The first Princess Schottzie had passed away). The young elephant flew to Chicago, but there was some sort of transportation mix up, so Schottzie spent several days at the Brookfield Zoo before making it to her final destination of Cincinnati, where she met one of her lifelong companions, Mai Thai, who was only a few years older. There was also an African elephant named Gretchen, who was famously featured on post cards, and visitors were allowed to feed her peanuts through the fence. I have been told that Schottzie still remembers and obeys commands in Danish, but has long since also learned English commands. As they say, an elephant never forgets.  Schottzie moved to the Fort Worth Zoo when she was 11 years old, where she stayed for several years, then back to Cincinnati, and then briefly in the Dickerson Park Zoo with Mai Thai, before returning to Cincinnati with her friend, where Schottzie would stay until just this week. In 1991, Malaysian wildborn Jati arrived in Cincinnati. She was 12 years younger than Schottzie. And she is the companion moving to Florida with her.  Jati and Schottzie in 2016 Cincinnati Zoo elephant keeper Cecil Jackson Jr. has just retired in August. He and Schottzie have shared most of the their lives at the zoo together.  Mai Thai, Schottzie, Jati at Christmas in 2014. |
Mai Thai and Schottzie at Easter, 2018, having an Easter Egg Hunt.
Schottzie's life changed two years ago, when she was moved from the historic Elephant House to the Cincinnati Zoo's new Elephant Trek, along with Mai Thai, Jati and Sabu. Already living in the Elephant Trek were four younger elephants: Schottzie's late sister Irma's daughter SheRa (Yasmin) (36), born in Rotterdam, SheRa's daughter Anak (23) also born in Rotterdam, SheRa's young son Kabir (9), and Anak's young son Sanjay (8), both boys born in Dublin with the same father.
Schottzie never did accept her sister's offspring as part of the herd, and has been kept separate, along with her friend Jati. Elephant Trek has two main yards, a side yard and a spacious elephant barn, so it wasn't too hard to give her space. But maybe there were tensions. In any case, it was decided to move Schottzie and Jati to another zoo.
Elephant Bull Sabu and longtime keeper Cecil Jackson
at the old Cincinnati Zoo elephant house backyard.
Elephant bull Sabu had spent several years in the Columbus Zoo while the new Elephant Trek was being built, and the result was two calves born there last year.
So far, the Cincinnati Zoo has not had much luck in breeding Sabu with SheRa and Anak, the two fertile lady elephants who recently arrived from Europe. It is hoped that having Schottzie and Jati moved to a new home will ease tensions and the female elephants will bond with Sabu and possibly produce babies.
Retirement to Florida
A move to Busch Gardens in Tampa, a combination amusement park and zoo, is not without controversy. Carina, a 54-year-old geriatric Asian elephant, was euthanized in July 2026 after a sudden decline in health. Rosie, another 54-year-old Asian elephant, had collapsed during a park fireworks show in 2022, and could not stand for over five hours. She never fully recovered, and was euthanized in November of 2024.
The remaining elephants are Carina's daughter 36 year old Karnaudi, the 58 year old matriarch Simba, and 57 year old Tina.
The habitat has a big pool, and it looks like they give their elephants lots of enrichment.
I have not visited Bush Gardens, but I did look at a map of the park. While most of the animals at Busch Gardens live in habitats a little removed from the amusement park, the elephants live right next to coasters and other rides, noisy construction of a new coaster, and there are also fireworks shows, which are controversial regarding the elephants, who would probably prefer peace and quiet.
Florida, as a warmer weather state, may be more comfortable for the aging elephants during the winter.
I hope Schottzie and Jati adjust to their new home, and make friends with the three older lady elephants already there.
