A NEW MALE elephant calf has been born at Dublin Zoo – and he already weighs about 80kg (12.5 stone).
Born on the morning of July 17 to an Asian elephant called Yasmin, the bull elephant calf was up and walking around less than ten minutes after his birth.
Dublin Zoo Assistant Director Paul O’Donoghue said the Zoo is “absolutely thrilled with the new arrival”:
This male is significant because he will play an important role in the conservation of Asian elephants.
“Yasmin is an experienced mother and is bonding well with the calf, which is very strong and suckling well,” O’Donoghue added. “He has been given a warm welcome by the rest of the herd who are being very protective.”
The new calf is Yasmin’s third and Zoo staff consider his arrival an important step in the international breeding programme set up to protect the survival of the Asian elephant. Only between 30,000 and 60,000 of the animals still exist in the wild.
A competition to name the new calf will be carried out through the Facebook page of the new sponsor of Dublin Zoo’s Kaziranga Forest Trail, The Natural Confectionery Company.
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