JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens welcomed a female African elephant named Thandi to its herd.
The elephant, who is approximately 34-years-old, came from The National Elephant Center in Fellsmere, which is north of Vero Beach.
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Thandi joins the zoo's two other elephants, Ali and Sheena.
The zoo said Thandi has developed into a leader and exhibits matriarchal characteristics when around other elephants.
"Though she is post-reproductive, she has been an excellent ‘aunt' to elephant calves at other Zoos," the zoo said.
Thandi will experience a standard 30-day quarantine period to make sure everything is okay before she's introduced to Ali and Sheena.
The zoo will announce Thandi's public debut in the coming weeks.
As the largest terrestrial animal, African elephants can stand 7-12 feet at the shoulder and weigh anywhere between 7,000 and 12,000 pounds. Thandi stands ten feet tall and weighs in at 8,400 pounds.