New Elephant born at Animal Kingdom

[Keith]

LAKE BUENA VISTA -- Disney's Animal Kingdom welcomed a new baby African elephant on June 28.

The pachyderm weighed a whopping 327 pounds, making it the heaviest elephant calf ever born at the park.

Experts said the elephant's birth is significant as wildlife experts try to save the endangered species.

The unnamed calf and mom are said to be doing well.

The calf is the fourth elephant born at the theme park.

[Tink]

That's one of the more hidden aspects of the beauty of AK. The huge conservation and scientific study work that goes on there. It was a woman at AK who helped break the code of elephant language based on the study of the elephants at Ak.

A new baby! Celebrations!

[Claire]

A new baby! A heavyweight one at that! I wonder if they have released any photos yet?

[Keith]

A new baby! A heavyweight one at that! I wonder if they have released any photos yet?

[Keith]

From Orlando Sentinel:

Twenty-six-year-old Moyo gave birth to a 327-pound male elephant June 28 after 21 months gestation. This newest addition, which has yet to be named, is the heaviest elephant calf ever born at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

“African elephants are considered endangered and are challenging to breed,” Jackie Ogden, vice president of Disney’s Animal Programs, stated in a release. “This elephant birth is significant, not only for the herd and species, but also for the team of dedicated team of professionals who have been working with Moyo attentively for the past two years since the early stages of her pregnancy and round-the-clock since the elephant began to show signs of an imminent birth.”

Both calf and mother appear to be doing well according to veterinarians and elephant managers, who are optimistic about the calf’s likelihood of survival. With assistance from the animal care team, the newborn became comfortable using his “newly-discovered” legs and began nursing successfully from his mother soon after birth. He is already feisty and very active.

Moyo became pregnant through artificial insemination in September 2006 and received extensive pre-natal care throughout her pregnancy. Zookeepers added more exercise to her morning routine, and in addition to regular ultrasounds, veterinarians and elephant managers monitored her hormone levels on a daily basis to help them determine when she would give birth. Labor appeared imminent late last week and the animal care team remained with her throughout the process until the male calf was born Saturday evening around 8:20 p.m.

This is the fourth elephant born at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Tufani, who is Moyo’s first male calf, was born in 2003; Kianga, a female, was born in 2004; and Nadirah, the youngest female, joined the herd in 2005. All remain on the savannah at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

[Claire]

Thank you Keith!!! Look at that baby!

[Isafari]

awe.....want one!!!

[lisaw]

Aww hes gorgeous!

327 lbs!

[Britchick]

we went to Thailand in April this year and went to an elephant sanctuary, we fed and bathed teh elephants it was an experience of a lifetime- of course the ones we saw were Asian elephants.