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Rani and Savani: New home in Munich's Hellabrunn Zoo!
The elephant Rani and her daughter Savani move from Leipzig Zoo to Hellabrunn Zoo in Munich to join a new herd.
Rani and Savani: New home in Munich's Hellabrunn Zoo!
Hellabrunn Zoo in Munich has a new, exciting addition: 15-year-old female elephant Rani and her two-year-old daughter Savani moved from Leipzig Zoo a few weeks ago. This decision was made due to tensions between Rani and other elephants in her previous herd. The relationship with the lead cow Kewa was particularly difficult, which ultimately led to a recommendation from the European Endangered Species Program (EEP) to move Rani and Savani into a new environment. The transport on May 20, 2025 went smoothly and under the supervision of trusted caretakers who ensured that the two elephants could feel comfortable in their new place of residence, reports Thüringen24.
Rani and Savani seem to settle in quickly in their new home. The acclimatization takes place carefully in quiet stages while the animal care team monitors the two closely. Rani already has the opportunity to look after her two newborn step-siblings, which strengthens her important bonding behavior, because in elephant herds all cows are responsible for the young animals. The animals were integrated into the Hellabrunn elephant group, consisting of Otto, Temi, Mangala and Gajendra, with Otto paying particular attention to the new females. The MDR documentary soap “Elephant, Tiger & Co” documents this exciting process. The latest episode, which aired on June 6, 2025, shows bull Otto getting closer to the new females, which is certainly an emotional highlight for viewers.
A look into the future
The Munich keepers have big plans: They hope that Rani, who is only 15 years old, will one day play an important role in breeding future elephants. Bull Gajendra is already showing interest in her, and the keepers want Rani to become a grandmother one day when Savani has offspring of her own. This perspective is particularly important because the EEP has been pursuing matriline-based herd planning for Asian elephants for several years. This is to ensure that the herds remain stable and reproduce.
Overall, the change is a big step for Rani and Savani. While they get used to their new surroundings, they are closely looked after by the animal care team so that they can be carefully integrated into the elephant herd. It remains to be seen how the relationships within the group and the future offspring will develop, but the signs are good and the keepers are confident. The new season of “Elefant, Tiger & Co” is broadcast every Friday at 7:50 p.m. on MDR and in the ARD media library.
It is therefore important to follow further developments surrounding Rani and Savani. The Hellabrunn Zoo has not only taken care of the welfare of the elephants, but also their future breeding opportunities - an exciting time for the animal kingdom in Munich!