BREEDING PROCESS. The opening of the female reproductive tract is located on the belly (not under the tail like a cow or horse) and male penises extend completely under the opening in the cow and then curve back into the reproductive tract to complete the breeding process. The elephant pen is designed so that there are not any 90 degree angles so that the male may not pin the female in the corner, after breeding the female is then returned to her pen. Attempts to artificially inseminate cows has been largely unsuccessful due to the interesting fact that unlike African elephant semen, Asian elephant semen is not fertile when frozen, making the process extremely difficult.