Jackson, the African elephant, has settled in at the Pittsburgh Zoo's International Conservation Center in Somerset County. He is enjoying semi-retirement in what Zoo President and CEO, Dr. Barbara Baker calls the "deluxe elephant barn." But the ICC wasn't built for Jackson. Dr. Baker says they will be transferring two female elephants from the Philadelphia Zoo to the Somerset facility this spring. There are hopes that Jackson will mate to produce more offspring. He is the father of four elephants born at the Highland Park zoo since 1999, including two last July. Dr. Baker says the ICC sprawls over more than 700 acres so they can accommodate other animals, like Grevy's zebras and African painted dogs. Elephant manager Willie Thieson says the ICC turned out as he imagined. Listen to a longer audio version of this story.
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