Fort Worth Zoo welcomes birth of Asian elephant calf

FORT WORTH, Texas — It’s a boy! The Fort Worth Zoo is celebrating the birth of an Asian elephant calf.

The wholesome 37-inch-tall, 270-pound child boy was born at 2 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 23, officers mentioned. His title hasn’t been launched to the general public but.  

Officials mentioned that is the fifth calf born on the Fort Worth Zoo, which follows the birth of his half-brother Brazos in 2021, his mom Belle in 2013, Bowie in 2013 (who now resides at Oklahoma City Zoo), and his aunt Bluebonnet in 1998.

So, the brand new child calf provides to the three generations of elephants on the zoo – mimicking how herds are established within the wild, Fort Worth Zoo mentioned.

This was the primary birth for the calf’s mom, Belle, who’s now 9.5 years outdated. She was fastidiously monitored with weekly blood assessments, bodily examinations and sonograms. The calf’s father, Romeo, is 30 years outdated and has lived on the zoo since 2015, officers mentioned.

Both the brand new little bundle of pleasure and his mom are doing properly. The zoo mentioned they’re bonding behind-the-scenes of the elephant habitat, Elephant Springs.

“The initial bonding between an elephant calf, its mother, and family unit is vital to a successful rearing,” Fort Worth Zoo mentioned in a news launch.

The animal care workforce will decide when the general public will get to satisfy him. Until then, the zoo mentioned maintain an eye fixed out on their social media pages for updates.

“It is our hope that in Elephant Springs guests can connect with these creatures and be motivated to learn more about them and how to save their counterparts in the wild,” mentioned the Fort Worth Zoo.

Elephant Springs opened in April 2021 because the second part of Fort Worth Zoo’s grasp plan. The third part, which can characteristic massive cat species, is at present beneath building and set to open this 12 months.

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