[Columbia, SC] - Thanks to Advanced Fertility & Reproductive Endocrinology Institute of West Columbia, Zoo visitors on September 10 can help deliver "pennies for pachyderms" and facilitate an enormous cause.

Over the past several months, Riverbanks Zoo has been preparing one of its three African elephants for potential motherhood. Recent scientific advances have made it possible to help make elephants pregnant through artificial insemination (AI). A successful AI attempt at Riverbanks could produce a baby elephant in two years; the end result would not only help sustain the survival of these animals in captivity, but it would also benefit the community and future generations, allowing them to appreciate these magnificent creatures.

African elephants are in grave danger in the wild. In 1980, as many as 1.3 million elephants roamed throughout Sub-Saharan Africa. Today, fewer than 500,000 remain. In less than 30 years, they have been driven to the brink of extinction due to illegal poaching and habitat destruction.

Fewer than 300 African and Asian elephants currently live in zoos accredited by the American Zoo & Aquarium Association (AZA). Approximately half of those are African elephants.

According to a recent opinion poll released by AZA on May 24, 2005, U.S. adults overwhelmingly agree that seeing elephants in real life helps foster an appreciation and concern for them and encourages support for animal conservation efforts. It is a primary objective at Riverbanks to ensure that the people of the Midlands and surrounding communities have an opportunity to view and appreciate elephants for years to come.

A recent effort by Riverbanks to raise funds in support of producing a baby elephant inspired a partnership between Advanced Fertility and the Zoo. Dr. Gail Whitman-Elia of Advanced Fertility has been providing fertility therapies to couples in South Carolina having difficulty conceiving naturally, and for ten years has helped hundreds of couples achieve their dream of having a child. One of the therapies, In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) has been responsible for many of those couples becoming pregnant. Fascinated with the elephant fertility work planned by the Zoo staff, animal lovers Dr. Whitman-Elia and her husband Marty decided to get involved.

On September 10, former patients of Dr. Whitman-Elia will take part in a first-ever baby reunion in the Ndoki Lodge at Riverbanks. On the same day, the first 5,000 visitors to the Zoo & Garden will help deliver pennies for pachyderms as the Elias and Advanced Fertility will be donating 100 pennies per admission ticket to the elephant AI fund.