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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, On March 2, 2023, Texas Independence Day, the Fort |
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Worth Zoo hosted a celebration in honor of its newest resident, baby |
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Asian elephant Travis, who was born on February 23, 2023; and |
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WHEREAS, Travis entered the world measuring 37 inches tall |
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and weighing 270 pounds, making him the zoo's biggest male calf to |
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date; continuing the tradition of new calves receiving names with |
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strong ties to the state, Travis is the fifth Asian elephant calf |
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born at the Fort Worth Zoo, joining his half-brother Brazos, his |
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mother Belle, his aunt Bluebonnet, and Bowie, who now resides at the |
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Oklahoma City Zoo; his father, Romeo, who is 30 years old, has lived |
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at the zoo since 2015; Travis is an important addition to the |
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family, and his bonding with his mother and family unit mimics how |
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herds behave in the wild; and |
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WHEREAS, The oldest continuous zoo site in Texas, the Fort |
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Worth Zoo was founded in 1909 with one lion, two bear cubs, an |
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alligator, a coyote, a peacock, and a few rabbits; today, it is home |
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to more than 500 species, and it brings in approximately 1 million |
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visitors each year; moreover, it is one of only 65 zoological |
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facilities in the world to hold the distinction of being a Humane |
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Certified park; and |
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WHEREAS, In April 2021, the Fort Worth Zoo completed its |
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state-of-the-art Elephant Springs habitat, which features a |
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400,000-gallon river, a climate-controlled environment, and 15 |
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stalls to give the animals their own individual spaces; the habitat |
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represents the zoo's commitment to the conservation of Asian |
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elephants, a critically endangered species and one of the most |
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poached animals in the world; and |
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WHEREAS, Through his presence at the Fort Worth Zoo, Travis |
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will provide visitors with the gift of being able to see firsthand |
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one of the world's most magnificent creatures, and it is fitting to |
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commend his handlers and the zoo's staff as they continue their work |
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to advocate for this vulnerable species; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate the Fort Worth Zoo on the birth of |
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its newest elephant and extend to baby Travis a Texas-sized welcome |
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as a new citizen of the Lone Star State; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for the Fort Worth Zoo as an expression of high regard by |
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the Texas House of Representatives. |