Newborn Elephant At Tucson Zoo A Pleasant Coronavirus Distraction

TUCSON, AZ — It’s a girl! Just as families celebrate the arrival of a newborn, Tucson’s Reid Park Zoo is offering the public the first pictures of a calf born Monday to its African elephant matriarch, Semba.

If you’re looking for a virtual escape from the boredom of sheltering in place to slow the spread of the new coronavirus, you have the opportunity to lose yourself in photos and zoo webcam videos of elephants — the exceptionally smart and highly social giants of Africa’s sub-Saharan savannas — and all the other animals at Reid Park Zoo. More on that later on in this story; but first, here are the deets of the birth:

The healthy calf was born at 3:33 a.m. Monday, bringing to an end 22 months of pregnancy — the longest of any mammal on the planet. The zoo said in a blog that the yet-to-be-named calf weighed 295 pounds and is “healthy, standing and nursing.”

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The new calf joins a brother, 9-year-old Sundzu, and a sister, Nandi, who will turn 6 this summer. Semba's pregnancy and labor both went smoothly and without complications, according to Dr. Sue Tygielski, Reid Park’s director of zoological operations.

Elephant births — this is the second at Reid Park Zoo — are nothing if not unpredictable. The zoo animal care staff has been on around-the-clock “baby watch” for about seven weeks, the zoo said.

“Elephant births are exciting but also a test of patience for staff and the elephant mom,” Tygielski said.

When the moment arrived, Semba handled it like a pro.

Zoo officials are celebrating not just the birth of the elephant calf but African elephants in general.

“As African elephants continue to face increasing challenges in the wild, each birth contributes to the global population and sustainability of this vulnerable species,” Tygielski said in a blog post on the zoo’s website. “Today, the birth of this calf gives us cause for celebration at Reid Park Zoo, and it gives us optimism for the future."

Only about 415,000 African elephants remain in the wild, and they are scattered across the savannas of sub-Saharan Africa. About 70 percent of their range exists on protected lands, yet the African Wildlife Foundation estimates 8 percent of African elephants are slaughtered every year for their large ivory tusks, which are converted into jewelry, crafts, musical instruments and religious objects. Due to poaching, African elephants could disappear entirely in our lifetimes, the organization dedicated to their protection warns.

The Reid Park Zoo’s animal care staff is closely monitoring Semba and her calf to make sure everything is going smoothly. So far, it is.

“Semba is an excellent mom, and she has had close and nurturing interaction with the calf,” Tygielski said.

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With the birth, the zoo now has six elephants. Semba’s calf is the second born at the zoo; the birth of her second baby, Nandi in 2014, was the first born there.

The elephants are behaving as a typical family would when a new baby is born.

Scientific research, including observations and findings by field researchers, shows that as a species, pachyderms are a lot like people.

They are very social and frequently touch and caress each other by entwining their trunks. They’re highly emotional and empathetic, grieving, mourning and feeling distress just as we do. The research also shows elephants express joy while playing games, when they greet family members and other elephant friends, or when a new calf is born.

Because the zoo tries to replicate the experiences of elephants in the wild as much as possible, the baby is getting to know the rest of the herd — just as parents would introduce their baby to siblings and other family members.

“Shortly after birth, Semba encouraged the calf to meet and touch Lungile and Nandi,” the zoo said on the blog. “Later in the day, Mabu and Sundzu had the opportunity to see the calf. Over the next few days, the herd will spend time together as a family.”

The zoo staff noticed breeding behavior between Semba and Mabu in the late spring of 2018 and soon confirmed Semba was pregnant.

Her prenatal care was not unlike what humans receive.

Semba received regular ultrasound examinations to monitor the calf’s development and blood tests to monitor her hormone levels during pregnancy. Just as Tucson parents do when they’re expecting a new baby, the zoo staff “baby-proofed” the habitat at the Click Family Elephant Care Center.

How To See Elephants During Coronavirus

Visitors can’t see the elephants in person right now because the zoo is closed due to the outbreak of the new coronavirus. But the zoo is sharing pictures of the baby elephant and all the other animals on its website. The zoo’s Facebook page is also full of videos of animals that offer a pleasant distraction.

“This is a great day for Reid Park Zoo and, really, a beacon of hope,” zoo President and CEO Nancy Kluge said in the blog. “Coming during this challenging time in the world, this baby elephant is a symbol of the beauty and resilience of life for so many.

“We are just thrilled for Semba and the whole herd. We are grateful to our community for following Semba’s pregnancy, especially while the zoo has been closed. We look forward to the day when we can welcome the public back to Reid Park Zoo to help us celebrate the joy of this new baby and our elephant herd.”

The first few weeks are a crucial bonding time between mom and calf.

“Semba and her new calf will be on a portion of the habitat soon, and we can’t wait to share the calf via webcam and videos until visitors can come to the zoo again,” Tygielski said.