Asian Elephant Calf Makes Public Debut Columbus Zoo

Two notable elephant births have recently been celebrated in zoos in Japan and the United States. In Hiroshima's Asa Zoological Park, May, an endangered African forest elephant, gave birth to the first baby of its species born in Japan, though the calf was smaller than expected and its gender is unknown; zookeepers are assisting the calf and monitoring its health closely. Meanwhile, the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in Ohio introduced a new female Asian baby elephant to the public on August 4, following her birth on July 23. The calf, who remains unnamed during her initial 30 days to ensure health stability, has been bonding with her mother Sunny and aunt Rudy, with the herd accepting the new member. The Columbus Zoo emphasized the birth as a significant milestone for Asian elephant conservation and highlighted their leadership in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums SAFE program. Both zoos continue to monitor the health and wellbeing of the calves and plan visitor interactions accordingly to support their development.