Columbus Zoo & Aquarium celebrates the births of an elephant calf and a sea lion pup - The Columbus Dispatch

sea.indah.link

The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium has announced the arrival of two new baby animals whose species are both at risk in their respective natural habitats: an Asian elephant and a sea lion.

Phoebe, a 33-year-old elephant, gave birth to a male calf at 8:48 p.m. Wednesday in the zoo's Asia Quest region, offering a sign of hope for Asian elephant conservation efforts, the zoo said in a press release. No name has been given yet to the new arrival. 

The sea lion pup, whose sex has yet to be determined, was born early Thursday morning to mother Lovell, who is turning 6 in July.

Although California sea lions are not listed as a species of concern, climate change is forcing mothers in the wild to hunt further away from the shore, separating them from their pups whose survival becomes at risk when they are stranded and forced to care for themselves.

“There are so many reasons why these births are cause for celebration," said Jerry Borin, interim Columbus Zoo president/CEO, in a prepared statement. "Certainly, these babies are adorable, but they also represent the science, expertise, and collaboration across internal teams and other facilities as we collectively work to help protect these incredible species."

The elephant calf is Phoebe's fourth since her arrival at the Columbus Zoo in January 2002, and is one of three living Asian elephants that were born at the zoo.

Phoebe's calf Beco was born in 2009. Bodhi, who was born in 2004, now resides at Denver Zoo. The last calf Phoebe gave birth to, Ellie, died in 2018 from a bacterial infection a few weeks after birth.

The new calf's birth is a significant milestone for the species. The World Elephant Day organization estimates there are fewer than 40,000 Asian elephants and less than 400,000 African elephants remaining worldwide.

The elephant calf was born following a 22-month pregnancy that the zoo staff regularly monitored with ultrasound imaging.

Zoo staff had been prepared for the elephant to give birth since Sunday, when Phoebe's bloodwork indicated that her progesterone levels had dropped enough that the team knew a birth was imminent. Rather than monitor Phoebe remotely, the team shifted to around-the-clock observation until the birth took place.

Phoebe had been paired with 33-year-old elephant Hank for mating, but their attempts to breed were unsuccessful, prompting zoo staff to artificially inseminate the mother. Such a process is rare for elephants, particularly Asian elephants, where there have been fewer than 10 successful births from artificial inseminations, the zoo said in the release.

Zoo staff reported that the new calf appears to be strong and was observed nursing shortly after his birth. The calf is already vocal, emitting a low grumble as he tests out his trunk.

Phoebe and the calf will remain in a behind-the-scenes area as they bond until they are ready to integrate with the rest of the elephant herd.

The sea lion pup is the third to be born at the Columbus Zoo. It was Lovell who also gave birth on June 25, 2020 to the first sea lion pup born at the zoo, a female named Sunshine.

Lovell arrived at the Columbus Zoo with nine other sea lions and four harbor seals in May 2020. The father of the pup will be determined via a blood test since there are several males in the group.

Guests can find the sea lions at the zoo's newest region, Adventure Cove, but Lovell and her pup will be behind the scenes for the near future as they bond and the pup develops.

In addition to its breeding program, the Columbus Zoo is also a supporter of conservation initiatives benefitting Asian and African elephants, including projects focused on reducing conflicts between humans and elephants in their native ranges.

elagatta@dispatch.com

@EricLagatta

The Link Lonk


June 18, 2021 at 06:39AM
https://ift.tt/3iPwxc8

Columbus Zoo & Aquarium celebrates the births of an elephant calf and a sea lion pup - The Columbus Dispatch

https://ift.tt/2CoSmg4
Sea