Two new elephants have joined the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo after more than a month of anticipation.

Missy and Kimba Lou, both elderly female elephants from the Lee Richardson Zoo in Garden City, Kan., arrived Sunday night and are settling into their new home.

Missy, 46, is the fifth-oldest living elephant in facilities accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. She has well exceeded the average life expectancy of just under 38.5 years for female African elephants in captivity.

Kimba Lou is 33. The elephants were moved to Colorado Springs because Cheyenne Mountain Zoo has the resources to care for them in their old age. Now is a good time for them to integrate into a new herd, while they have no known health issues, according to a press release issued Monday afternoon by the zoo.

“Female elephants are highly social animals that live in groups or herds,” Tracy Thessing, director of animal collections, said in the release. “Missy and Kimba Lou will have enhanced social opportunities at our zoo.”

While Missy and Kimba Lou get used to their new surroundings, the Wilguren Elephant Barn will be closed to give them some privacy and time to adjust. The zoo’s other elephants, Lucky, Kimba, Malaika and Jambo, can be seen in their outside exhibit in Encounter Africa during that time.

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo plans to make an announcement when Missy and Kimba Lou are ready to make their public debut.

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Contact Kassondra Cloos: 636-0362

Twitter: @Kassondra Cloos