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The Saint Louis Zoo announced the birth of a male Asian elephant, born on Monday to mom, Rani (pronounced “Ronnie”), the zoo’s 23-year-old Asian elephant. The baby elephant is yet to be named.
The zoo’s bull elephant, 27-year-old Raja, is the father. He was the first Asian elephant ever born at the zoo in 1992, and this calf is his fifth offspring.
“Breeding and calf rearing is one part of our robust, multi-faceted animal welfare program, and important to the elephants’ social structure. Our experienced, professional elephant care team is providing exceptional care for Rani and her newborn,” said Katie Pilgram-Kloppe, zoological manager of River’s Edge. An elephant pregnancy lasts about 22 months, and a newborn weighs about 250 to 350 pounds. Rani received regular prenatal health checkups throughout her pregnancy by the zoo’s elephant care team.
Rani is part of a 10-member, three-generation elephant family that includes her new calf, Ellie (mother), Maliha, Jade (daughter), Priya, Donna, Sri, Pearl and Raja at the zoo’s River’s Edge and Elephant Woods habitats. Rani and Ellie arrived at the Saint Louis Zoo in 2001 from the Jacksonville Zoo, where Rani was born in 1996.
Mother and baby are bonding out of public view, and a debut date has not been set.
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