Columbus Zoo welcomes 2nd Asian elephant calf this year

POWELL, Ohio (AP) — The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium has welcomed its second baby elephant in a single calendar year for the first time in its nearly 100-year history, a milestone that the Ohio attraction is touting as a win for conservation.

Thirty-eight-year-old Phoebe gave birth to the male Asian elephant calf at 10:41 p.m. Tuesday. The 222-pound (100-kilogram) offspring is not yet on view to the public. That is so the pair gets uninterrupted bonding time and the zoo’s animal care and conservation medicine team can provide round-the-clock monitoring as the baby begins to stand, nurse and explore his surroundings.

The calf’s father, Sabu, lives at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden. They were paired through a national zoo initiative that aims to support healthy, genetically diverse populations of threatened and endangered species in professional care.

Although there have been recent signs of hope for Asian elephants in the wild, habitat degradation and the challenges of maintaining genetic diversity are among reasons they remain endangered.

Phoebe has another son, Frankie, who was born in 2021 and lives at the Columbus Zoo. Its herd also includes a 23-year-old female and a 24-year-old male, as well as 16-year-old Sunny and her calf Rita Jean, born four months ago.

The zoo said it will continue to share updates on public viewing opportunities, naming plans and other baby milestones.

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This story has been corrected to replace inaccurate information about Phoebe’s offspring and relationships to other elephants at the zoo.