Why are elephant births important?

Every birth of an elephant, as well as in nature as in zoos, is very important for species conservation because both African and Asian elephants are menaced of extinction.

Why does the same apply in zoos?

In most zoos, the existence of elephants is superannuated and still comes from the time of ruinous exploitation of nature. Today, according to the “Washington Protection of Species Agreement”, hunting, catching elephants and trade with them is prohibited. If the zoological gardens want to continue to show elephants to their public, they have to give them the possibility of reproducing themselves and bring up their offspring appropriately for their species.

What does the birth of an elephant mean to a zoo?

In a zoo or a circus, an elephant´s birth always is a great event- for the elephant herd, the elephant keepers, the zoo visitors, the media and of course also for the book-keeper. An elephant´s baby attracts 10´000 additional zoo visitors.

When do preparations begin?

About one month prior to the theoretical date of birth, 22 months after the last mating, the preparations for the birth in the elephant stable start:

The elephant keepers start night-watching and the pregnant elephant cow is being locked in the so-called brood box overnight. There, the elephant cow has more silence and her own food. No other elephant can dispute her her right to it. A keeper observes the pregnant elephant during the whole night and reports his observations to his colleagues and superiors.

The veterinary prepares himself for all possible complications.

The zoo visitors and medias almost burst with curiosity and want to know again and again when exactly the little elephant will be born.

How long does a birth take?

The birth itself mostly drags on for two nights.
During the first night, so-called call labour pains come on the cow elephant. She lloses mucus and mostly the mucus plug as well. During the call labour pains,the elephant calf goes to its final birth position.
During the second night, the actual birth, which is introduced with second stage contractions and goes on until the early morning hours, starts.

What does the birth of an elephant look like?

The photos show the birth of Chandra on 13th May, 2002, at the Zurich zoo.

On 12th May, 2002, Indy lost some mucus.
During the night on 13th May, Indy lost mucus and blood again and again, from time to time she had labour pains.
The next morning, a small, unusual bulge could be seen under the tail embouchure. Part of the amniotic bladder with fluid already is in the birth channel.

Wild animals usually give birth at night so that they are not disturbed. If the baby is not born until dawn, the mother interrupts the birth if still possible. This also happened in Indy’s case.

During the evening of 13th May, 2002, Indy continued the birth.
At about 9.30 pm, a balloon-like part of the amniotic bladder came out.
Indy tried to take off or to squash the bladder without success. During the next 90 minutes, almost anything happened.
The contractions were only minimal.

At 11 pm, the second stage contractions began. A little later, the keepers could see the baby’s hind legs.

After some more second stage contractions, Chandra was born at 11.10 pm.
Immediately, Indy began to take off the amniotic bladder from the newborn. To everybody’s pleasure, the elephant baby was breathing and moving.

Indy sniffs her baby and so makes the first contact.
The fact that Indy stayed calm during the whole birth was amazing and pleasant.

Shortly after, Indy pulled her baby to herself.
She had been chained up for security reasons before the birth because we did not know how she would behave. This should prevent her from panicking and attacking the baby or the keepers, but afterwards it showed as superfluous.

Now Chandra tries to stand up while Indy helps her.
The keepers scattered some sand on the ground because it was slippery from blood and mucus.
The first attempts to stand and walk are not successful yet, but already after about 10 minutes Chandra was able to stand and walk on her own.

The elephant baby’s second task consists of finding the mother’s breast and to drink some of the valuable milk.
The milk will be the baby’s main food for the next six months, but gradually, it will get interested in carrots, hay and leaves. Only at about three or four years of age it will stop to drink milk.

Aishu and Druk say hello to the new baby elephant.
Aishu will have a playmate with his little halfsister.
But aunt Druk will save little Chandra from too wild games with Aishu.

More pictures about Fahra and Fahim