An Asian elephant has given birth to an adorable baby calf following 20 months of pregnancy.
Thirty-year-old elephant Rose-Tu finally gave birth on Saturday as the Oregon Zoo in Portland welcomed its newest addition.
The calf appeared to be a 200-pound (90-kilogram) female, but zoo staff are giving the pair time to bond before conducting a first checkup to confirm weight and sex.
‘We couldn’t be happier with how everything is going so far,’ Steve Lefave, who oversees the zoo’s elephant program, said.
‘This was one of the smoothest births I’ve ever seen. Rose knew just what to do. She helped her baby up right away. The kid was standing on her own within 15 minutes and took her first steps soon after that.’
Rose-Tu and her baby, who is nursing regularly, are doing well, Kelsey Wallace from the zoo’s communications team added.
The calf is Rose-Tu’s third baby. Her firstborn, 16-year-old Samudra, also lives at the zoo. Her second calf, Lily, passed away from a virus in 2018, just before she turned 6 years old.
It might be a while before the new baby and Rose-Tu are ready for visitors. Staff want to make sure the calf continues to do well, and that Rose-Tu is calm and comfortable with people around, Lefave said.
Thirty-year-old Asian elephant Rose-Tu is seen with her baby in Portland, Oregon
The calf appeared to be a 200-pound (90-kilogram) female as zoo staff give the pair time to bond
The calf is Rose-Tu’s third baby. Her firstborn, 16-year-old Samudra, also lives at the zoo
Thirty-year-old Asian elephant Rose-Tu gave birth on Saturday after 20 months of pregnancy
‘Rose is a fantastic mom,’ he said. ‘She’s so gentle and protective, and the calf is already nursing well.
‘These are signs that they will have a strong bond, which is exactly what we want to see. We’re ready to help if needed, but so far mom and baby are doing just fine on their own.’
Considered highly endangered in their range countries, Asian elephants are threatened by habitat loss, conflict with humans and disease.
It’s estimated that just 40,000 to 50,000 of them remain in fragmented populations from India to Borneo, and their home range overlaps with some of the most populous human areas on the planet – 20% of people worldwide live in or next to Asian elephant habitat.
The Oregon Zoo is recognized worldwide for its elephant care program, which has spanned more than 60 years.
The zoo supports a broad range of efforts to help wild elephants and has established a $1million endowment fund supporting Asian elephant conservation.