Rare Asian elephant has been born at Chester Zoo

The healthy female calf arrived to 15-year-old mum Sundara Hi Way following a 22-month gestation, with the birth caught on the zoo’s CCTV cameras.

Elephant experts at the zoo – who monitored the birth remotely – say both mum and calf are doing “ever so well.”

The new calf was welcomed by the rest of the family herd, including one-year-old half-brother Anjan, who experienced a birth for the first time, and three-year-old sister, Indali. 

Katie Morrison, Assistant team Manager of Elephants at the zoo, described the “wonderful” birth as a “great learning experience for the family herd.” 

She said: 

“A birth is a wonderful, positive social event for the elephants and is always a great learning experience for the family herd, particularly the younger members.

“The excitement levels really build when a calf is due and, as soon as Sundara went into labour, it was obvious to the other herd members that something special was about to take place.

“Sundara delivered her calf onto deep, soft sand following a labour lasting around 20 minutes, with the other elephants gathered around her.

She then immediately began to stimulate her with a number of gentle kicks to encourage her up off the ground as quickly as possible, and she was on her feet and suckling within minutes, which was wonderful to see.

So far both mum and calf are doing ever so well indeed.” 

Asian elephants are listed as endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

The species is highly threatened in the wild by habitat loss, poaching, human-wildlife conflict and a deadly herpes virus called Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpesvirus (EEHV), which has so far been found present in nine countries across its range. 

Conservationists from Chester Zoo have, for many years, been working to combat these threats, utilising the skills and knowledge developed working with the family herd in Chester.

Mike Jordan, Director of Animal and Plant Collections at the zoo, added: 

“Magnificent Asian elephants are under threat globally. The international conservation community is working tirelessly to secure their future and prevent their extinction. 

“Two particular areas that are a main focus for the zoo include human-wildlife conflict in Assam, India where our conservationists have worked for more than 14 years to prevent deaths of elephants and people living alongside them by finding harmonious solutions that allow them to co-exist side by side.

Meanwhile the zoo is leading the global effort in the search for a viable vaccine that can help rid elephants of the terrible disease, EEHV. Scientists, researchers and conservationists have made huge progress and are hopeful that Asian elephants will soon have one less threat pushing them towards extinction.” 

Chester Zoo is part of a breeding programme coordinated by the European Association of Zoos and Aquariums (EAZA) that is focused on sustaining the elephant population in Europe.

The zoo’s elephant house is open as normal.