Photo: Cute Elephant Born At Twycross
11 March 2014, 10:35 | Updated: 11 March 2014, 12:24
Twycross Zoo have told Heart that a baby Asian elephant has been born.
She was born on the 4th of March and will be out with mum and the rest of the herd in public view fromTuesday the 11th of March.The calf is being looked after by her mother Noorjahan at the Warwickshire zoo.
The Asian elephant which is an endangered species hasn't been given a name yet.
Dr Charlotte Macdonald, Head of Life Sciences, said: “The calf was born at approximately 2.30am and was up on its feet after a matter of minutes. The infant has bonded very well with mum, who is doing an exceptional job of taking care of her.”
When she reaches adulthood, just like her mum, she will be munching her way through four bales of hay, several buckets of vegetables and fruit and numerous gallons of water a day to wash it all down!
Sarah Chapman, Head of Veterinary Services, commented: “We have a natural all female family herd at Twycross and so Noorjahan was artificially inseminated.
“This birth was another herd birth at Twycross Zoo with the mother having access to different substrates and lots of space, with the rest of the herd close at hand for support.
The birth was very quick which is great for both Noorjahan and the calf. The calf was able to stand with the help of her mother and that fact that she was on a deep bed of sand helped her soft feet to grip for her to take her first steps.
All the females continue to take a huge interest in the calf and are very protective of her. This is perfectly natural, with Aunties playing a very important “babysitting” role in the natural herd structure.”