It’s a Girl! Oregon Zoo Officials Joyfully Announce Arrival of Baby Elephant After 30-Year-Old Mother, Rose-Tu Gives Birth
Officials at the Oregon Zoo in Portland are breaking out their celebratory cigars in celebration of a new arrival at their facility: a baby elephant, and it’s a girl!
According to zoo officials, the newborn calf weighed in at 200 pounds (90 kilograms) after her mother, Rose-Tu, gave birth on Saturday at 4:29 p.m. and after a long 20+-month gestation period, and nearly four days in labor.
“We couldn’t be happier with how everything is going so far,” said Steve Lefave, who oversees the zoo’s elephant program. “This was one of the smoothest births I’ve ever seen. Rose knew just what to do. She helped her baby up right away. The kid was standing on her own within 15 minutes and took her first steps soon after that.”
Highly Endangered, 30-Year-Old Asian Elephant Is A “Fantastic Mom”
In a news press release in November 2023, zoo officials announced the flirtatious moments between then-29-year-old Rose-Tu, and her younger partner, 25-year-old male elephant Samson, believing that “conception may have occurred in May 2023.”
The highly endangered female Asian elephant had arrived with Samson at the Oregon Zoo only five years prior, along with her firstborn, 16-year-old Samudra. Sadly, Rose-Tu’s second calf, Lily, passed away after contracting a virus before her sixth birthday.
Now, more than 20 months later, Rose-Tu has delivered her third baby elephant, and reports indicate that Mama and baby are bonding and doing very well.
“Rose is a fantastic mom,” Lefave said. “She’s so gentle and protective, and the calf is already nursing well. These are signs that they will have a strong bond, which is exactly what we want to see. We’re ready to help if needed, but so far mom and baby are doing just fine on their own.”
Zoo officials indicated that it may be some time before the public can see Mama and baby together, as they want to ensure the little one continues to strive in good health, and the bond between her and her mother grows even stronger. Her first official ‘meetup’ will be with the rest of the elephant family at the zoo.
Only 40,000 to 50,000 Asian Elephants Remain in Fragmented Populations From India to Borneo
Asian elephants are considered highly endangered, and case studies show that their population is dwindling, not increasing. With only 40,000 to 50,000 of them dotted throughout India to Borneo, the birth of Rose-Tu’s newborn is a step in the right direction to ensure their species continues.
Habitat loss, conflict with humans, and disease, are the main factors that are causing their extinction, and zoo officials are doing their part to combat those odds, particularly the Oregon Zoo, which has been recognized worldwide for its elephant care program for over 60 years.
In the meantime, zoo officials hope that more of the female Asian elephants at the zoo will continue to birth newborns to add to their species in hopes of preventing their full extinction.
“We’re hoping for the best,” Lefave said. “We have an excellent animal-care team, and they’ll be doing everything they can to help each of these moms have a successful birth.”