Photo: Hermann Park Conservancy

Elephant aficionados take note; this has been Hermann Park’s year for the beautiful beasts. First, there was Kirby, the Houston Zoo’s now nine-month-old Asian elephant who’s still going strong and has more than doubled her 314-pound birth weight. Then Kirby’s father, Thailand, known as Thai, celebrated his 60^th birthday in June on Father’s Day, making him the oldest breeding male elephant and the second-oldest male in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) population in North America.

Then there was The Great Elephant Migration, a public art and conservation exhibit that saw 100 life-size elephant sculptures invade the park’s verdant 445 acres. Part of Hermann Park Conservancy’s Art in the Park initiative, the pack of pachyderms, handwoven by indigenous artisans from India’s Nilgiri Hills, captivated thousands of visitors and carried a message of coexistence, conservation, and ecological resilience.  Made from Lantana camara, an invasive plant species that has overrun India’s forests, threatening native flora and fauna, each statue represents a real-life elephant. The exhibit traveled across the United States.

They were such a hit here in Houston that local donors came together to keep part of the herd in Hermann Park. Visit the Cece and Mack Fowler Art Grove in the Commons and you’ll see Momma Lotus, Nanu, Banyan, and little calf Linii’ohsokoyi. They are permanent reminders of the beauty of elephants and nature.

Photo: Hermann Park Conservancy

But there’s one more elephant you may not be aware of, even though it’s been in the park since 1982. This spectacular life-sized, five-ton African Elephant made of Cor-ten steel is located at the Zoo’s entrance off Hermann Park Drive. The work was created by Robert Fowler and donated in 1982 by Isabell and Max Herzstein. Simply titled African Elephant (not Asian, like the real-life herd at the zoo), this representative sculpture was originally at the zoo’s main entrance to greet visitors but was moved in 200 when the second entrance was opened on Cambridge Street. Made of steel rods welded together, the sculpture gives the illusion of motion. Known for this twisted metal work, Fowler’s sculptures are no stranger to Houston. His Two Horses are at Jones Hall and a swimmer stands in front of n La Colombe D’or Hotel on Montrose Boulevard. He passed away in 2010, but his work continues to amaze Houstonians and resides in places around the globe.

The Houston Zoo is a 55-acre park inside Hermann Park and currently has 13 live elephants, including Thai and Kirby who are the oldest and youngest respectively. The zoo opened in 1922 and has had elephants ever since.

by Marene Gustin

hyperlinks:

https://hermannpark.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/HPC-Art-in-the-Park-Map-2025.pdf