A three-day-old Asian elephant calf, weighing about 290 pounds, has captured the hearts of visitors at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo in Dunstable, Bedfordshire.
Seen clinging tightly to its mother, Azizah, the newborn calf has been exploring the zoo’s seven-acre meadow with her. Born on Tuesday morning, the male calf is the fourth offspring of Azizah. During the labor, a herd of ten elephants gathered nearby, providing a supportive presence for the new mother. Lee Sambrook, the assistant elephant curator, described the experience as remarkable:
“It’s wonderful to witness a birth at the zoo. To see a baby being born surrounded by aunts and uncles in such a natural setting is a true privilege. Elephants are highly social animals, and the presence of the entire herd helped Azizah stay calm and focused. It was amazing to see the birth unfold naturally with minimal human intervention.”
Asian elephants stand between seven to twelve feet tall and can live up to 80 years in captivity. Unlike their larger African relatives, they have smaller ears and can weigh up to 11,000 pounds when fully grown.
This unnamed calf has quickly become a beloved member of both the herd and the zoo’s visitors, who can watch it frolic with its older siblings in the meadow. Whipsnade Zoo’s elephant breeding program has successfully welcomed nine calves so far. Azizah holds a special place in the history of the program, setting the record for the longest elephant pregnancy ever recorded at a UK zoo. In 2011, she carried her calf for 700 days, far exceeding the average by 84 days.
This new addition further contributes to the zoo’s success in nurturing these magnificent creatures while offering visitors a glimpse into the strong social bonds within elephant herds.
