San Diego Zoo Celebrates Baby Elephant’s Birth On World Elephant Day

Animal care staff at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park are celebrating the birth of a baby elephant, born just before midnight last night (Aug. 12, 2018)—on World Elephant Day—to mother Ndlulamitsi, better known as “Ndlula.” The calf, a male, was born without complications and began nursing shortly after birth.     

“Mother and baby were in a small area of the yard, separate from the rest of the herd,” said Curtis Lehman, animal care supervisor at the Safari Park. “This separation, much like what would occur in natural habitats in Africa, allows mom and baby time for bonding.”

 The baby elephant, named Umzula-zuli, was weighed this morning by animal care staff and tipped the scales at more than 270 pounds—making him the largest elephant calf ever born at the Safari Park. A newborn calf generally weights 200 to 268 pounds at birth. By late morning, with the baby appearing healthy and well bonded to his mother, animal care staff offered the pair the opportunity to move into a larger area of the habitat with the rest of the herd.

The average gestation period for African elephants is 649 days, or 22 months; so, Zuli’s birth had been long anticipated. When the Park opened at 9 a.m., guests at the African elephant overlook were able to see Ndlula and her newborn interacting with the herd. The new baby and his herd may also be seen on the Safari Park’s Elephant Cam, at sdzsafaripark.org/elephant-cam.

 The Safari Park is now home to 13 elephants—4 adults and 9 youngsters. The adults were rescued in 2003 from the Kingdom of Swaziland, where they faced being culled. A lack of space and long periods of drought had created unsuitable habitat for a large elephant population in the small southern African country.