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At 55 years old, Groucho is a living legend at Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance, and well beyond the median life expectancy of 47 years for Endangered Asian elephants. As the oldest member of our bachelor herd in Toyota Elephant Passage, Groucho enjoys the same gold-standard physical care as all our elephants, but his care team is also investing in something just as important: his mind.
Recently, our animal care specialists designed a custom cognitive training program to help Groucho stay mentally sharp as he ages. Inspired by the advanced training already enjoyed by younger herd members like Bodhi, these brain games are tailored to Groucho’s unique needs and learning style.
Groucho’s new game might sound simple, but it’s a mental workout. He’s presented with a lineup of canisters—some empty, some containing a distinct scent: coffee beans. His task is to sniff each canister and indicate the one with coffee by lifting a front foot. To keep the game unpredictable, his team varies the sequence and sometimes add a distractor scent like lemon to make him think harder.
“Some days he nails it on the first try, and other days we start over a few times,” says Lauren Cahill, Animal Care Specialist. The key is that he never knows when the coffee scent will show up. That unpredictability keeps him engaged.
At first, Groucho was cautious and sometimes confused by the new routine. His dedicated caretakers took it slow, using positive reinforcement and short, rewarding sessions to build his confidence. After nearly two months stuck at the same training step, something clicked and now Groucho looks forward to the challenge.
“He’ll even leave hay, his favorite snack, when he sees the canisters,” Cahill says. “For Groucho, that’s a big deal.” The training has also deepened his bond with his care team, especially meaningful given that he hasn’t always been eager to work closely with female staff members.
The benefits go beyond the brain game itself. His care team has noticed Groucho showing more enthusiasm in all his training sessions, even physical exercises. “It’s like he’s thinking differently, more like the younger boys,” says Cahill.
And there’s more ahead. Future cognitive challenges could include matching shapes, copying another elephant’s behavior, or match-to-sample games, all designed to keep Groucho’s mind as active as his body.
Groucho’s story is a reminder that caring for aging animals means addressing their whole well-being—physical, emotional, and mental. We invite you to visit Toyota Elephant Passage to see Groucho and the rest of our bachelor herd, and learn more about the innovative ways we’re supporting these incredible animals.
