UK zookeepers ‘delighted’ by the arrival of endangered Asian elephant
Zookeepers said that the new arrival has inherited her mother’s ‘determined personality’.
Footage from Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire has captured the first wobbly steps of an endangered Asian elephant.
The yet-to-be-named calf was born to mother Donna, 13, who was surrounded by the other four females in the herd as she delivered her baby on Monday.
Deputy team leader of elephants Mark Howes said: “To say we’re delighted by the arrival of this calf is just a huge understatement – it’s a massive success for Donna, for the herd at Whipsnade Zoo, and for elephant conservation full stop.”
“We were able to watch the birth via our hidden cameras, and it was amazing to see grandmother Kaylee step in to show Donna how to break the amniotic sac that the baby was born in and move the rest of the herd out of the way to allow the little one to stand up for the first time.
Asian elephants are classified as Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
According to the World Wildlife Foundation (WWF), there are fewer than 52,000 Asian elephants left in the wild and their habitat is restricted to just 15% of their original range, with fewer than 100 wild elephants in Vietman, an estimated 250 in Vietman and less than 250 wild Asian elephants in China.
Mr Howes said: “Here at ZSL, the conservation charity which runs Whipsnade Zoo, we’re one of the few conservation organisations working around the world to protect all three species of elephants – Asian elephants, African elephants and African forest elephants.
“Our herd play an active role in our conservation work, from helping us to develop new technologies to educating our visitors.”
ZSL Whipsnade Zoo’s Centre for Elephant Care, home to Donna and her new calf, will be open to all visitors from Wednesday.
