Welcome, little girl!
The average gestation period for African elephants is 649 days or 22 months. A newborn calf averages 200 to 268 pounds. Our newest calf weighs 205 pounds. She is mother Swazi’s second offspring. Her first born, 2 1/2-year-old Macembe, was present at the time of his sister’s birth. Later that morning, “Mac” was separated from Swazi and his newborn sister to give mother and daughter a chance to bond and nurse. Mac stood close watch in an adjacent yard with two other young elephants to keep him company. All of the youngsters were very curious about the new addition. They gently reached their trunks out to touch and smell the calf.
Swazi and her calf will continue to bond in a separate yard from the rest of the herd while the newborn gets steady on her feet and learns to follow her mother closely. Mom is positioning herself as a good mom would to allow calf to nurse, and the youngster is now nursing!
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 created unsuitable habitat for a large elephant population in the small southern African country. Swaziland’s Big Game Parks officials felt they had two options: kill this group of elephants or export them to a zoo willing to care for the pachyderms.
At the San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, elephant studies are underway on nutrition, daily walking distance, growth and development and bioacoustic communication. In Africa, a San Diego Zoo Global scientist is studying human-elephant conflicts as well as habitat range and use. In 2004, the nonprofit organization committed to contributing $30,000 yearly to Swaziland’s Big Game Parks though 2014 to fund programs like anti-poaching patrols, improved infrastructure and the purchase of additional acreage for the Big Game Parks. In addition, San Diego Zoo Global supports other elephant conservation through donations to the International Elephant Foundation, an organization that funds elephant conservation projects around the world.
The family can be seen daily at the Safari Park’s elephant habitat or via Elephant Cam or Safari Park iPhone app.
Welcome to the world, baby girl!
Congratulations to Swazi and all the keepers at the Zoo. She is beautiful!
I am enjoying watching the elephants as much as the giant pandas! What a social group they are, all eager to see the newborn. I wonder, did the elephants “trumpet” the birth as I have read some herds will do?
I heard them trumpeting in the video
She’s adorable! Congrats to SDZSP and of course mom and big brother! All of us here in Tucson are also celebrating with daddy Mabu.
Great news, hopefully everything continues well. Have they confirmed any other possible pregnancies? I’m sure Mabu had to have worked a little more magic before he left
Well done elephant team! You are raising a wonderful herd. Thank you for sharing via blogs and, especially, the cam. Swazi and her baby look great and are beautiful.
How cute is this little one! Congratulations Swazi and the entire zoo team.
I’m so glad the baby’s finally here! I’ve been checking in a couple of times a day hoping for the birth announcement and that the new baby would be a girl! Yea!!
Congratulations, Swazi! We’re so glad you and your wee one are okay. We’ve been waiting patiently for the Blessed Event.
Its very interesting to note that Miss Newborn used a unique kneeling posture to nurse. I wonder if this makes for an uncomfortable pull on mom’s sensitive nipple? I also wonder if the elephant keepers have ever seen this behavior before? Contratulations to San Diego Zoo on another healthy addition to the herd!
I’ve noticed in past calves at the park that they all seem to do the back leg dip, I suppose that’s to angle their heads up to reach momma’s nipples.. though this one appears somewhat shorter in height then the boys did at that age. but as long as she can reach and nurse is all that really matters
Happy it’s a Girl!
Did anyone else notice Kami tried to climb through the wires at least twice today to get to the baby?
Little Gymnast indeed.
Sure did! Loved it when she turned around and lifted her hind leg onto the cables in an attempt to go in tail end first. Kami is awesome, determined, and smart!
So is the Msolo’s first or is Mabu the father? Doesn’t the herd and staff miss him?
Moderator’s note: Mabu is the father.
Finally a girl. Congratulations to Swazi, Mabu, Mac and all the keepers. She’s a real cutie.
Congrats
CONGRATS TO SWAZI & KEEPERS ON THE NEW BABY GIRL ELLIE!! Plus, a long distance congrats to Mabu on kid #10! Just watched the video, and this little girl is another cutie! I’m sure that the herd did their shout out after Swazi gave birth in those early morning hours! Now, It’s Msholo’s turn to be a daddy! I wonder which of the moms he’s interested in? We’ll find out pretty soon, I hope! Have fun with the new little baby ellie!
Chari Mercier
St. Pete, FL
Congratulations all! New baby girl is so cute. Hopefully she started nursing and all will be well. Thanks for sharing.
so adorable. thanks for the video showing the little elephant girl walking. love that. the cam operators must be excited these days.
Congratulations! Swazi!
She is such Beautiful baby girl!
I really want to come to meet her!
Love
Seiko
Is there any way to let Newbie’s father, aunts, and brothers in Arizona know about her?
I posted the news on Reid Park Zoo’s facebook wall yesterday morning as soon as I heard the news. They have a link on their page for ellie cam. Here in Tucson we’re celebrating with daddy Mabu and hoping that he and Lungile will have a calf here.
Congratulations to Swazi!!I saw the younger ellies near the cable wires and I was had a clue that Swazi had given birth!! Do you(or anyone) know if Reid Park Zoo has elephant cam??
They want to do an ellie cam just don’t have one yet. I live only 10 minutes from Reid Park Zoo and love going over just to see what the herd is doing. They have been swimming in their pool A LOT lately. It’s so fun to see Mabu get in their with the little ones and play.
Congratulations to Swazi and new baby girl!
I am always fascinated to watch how the elephants use their trunks. Swazi was using hers to assist the calf to stand up. Pretty cool….
Yo, keep us posted on how everyone else gets along with Newbie! Will Msholo be as psyched as the other adults? Will Newbie try to nurse from other adults as well as Swazi (and if she does, will she include Msholo like how Phakamile included Mabhulane?)? Will Vus’Musi be cool with her? Will Inhlonipho be weirded out by the sight of an elephant smaller than he is? Will her littlest big brothers eventually play with her like they play with each other?
Also, got a name for her yet?
Also, keep an eye on Phakamile in case she gets her head stuck in the fence trying to reach Newbie, OK? :/
Khosi and Kami didn’t play like the boys even with Punga. With those three it was “dog pile” – all three.
Why are their only 2.5 years between the new baby and her older brother? And why did you separate mom and baby from the rest of the group? With 13 elephants it seems like you’re missing the opportunity to allow natural behaviors take place and have the baby welcomed by the group.
Amy
One would gather that the mating between Swazi and Mabu took when she came into estrus even though she had Mac not that long before. As to why they are separated, this herd is made up of different families and not like a regular wild herd where everyone is related to the matriarch. Plus as explained in the blog, it gives the calf and mom time to bond, the calf to get the hang of nursing well, learn to follow Swazi closely when she moves about and Mac time to realize he’s not allowed to nurse, which appears to be happening despite his not liking that situation at the moment.
As noted in prevous births they join the herd when those things mentioned above have been accomplished to the keepers satisfaction.
We all just have to be patient for that time to come and in the meantime enjoy watching the new calf.
They are doing an exceptional job with the entire herd. So much planning and care and wise decisions are made daily, and we are able to watch it unfold no matter where we are. We are so lucky! The team studies each step in the growth and health of each elephant and the interactions they have with others. They know what they are doing. Soon enough, when they feel baby will be safe, they will put them all together.
You hit the nail on the head. Because we allow the elephants to behave as naturally as possible, the elephants decide when it’s time to make new babies. Swazi and her baby are only temporarily separate to give the newborn a chance to figure out how to nurse without interruptions. Mac was allowed back in the evening, and other elephants had the opportunity to meet them from an adjacent yard.
This calf seems pretty steady on her legs and is following Mom so it shouldn’t be too long before they are out with the herd. I can’t wait to see the interactions of the other young ones.
So tiny, so cute, and finally another girl. As another new saga unfolds… will Mac readily welcome little sis as the new ‘baby’ of the family… will Swazi allow Kami and/or Khosi to become doting Aunties for the little one… and if so, will that create any conflict of baby sitter loyalties toward Neepo… will Po properly behave himself around the new cutie… and in consideration of baby’s safety, will Musi’s bully antics toward Umngani, speed up his eventual appointment as founding member of a future SD SAP bachelor herd…? Stay tuned.
Aww hi baby girl! Soooo sweet
How did her first night go? Do the keepers give mom extra food to bulk her up for nursing?
San Diego Zoo always offers exciting and moving events. Birth of baby Panda and baby Elephant in one month, that’s amazing! Congratulations to the team of keepers for their work. Good luck little elephant!
Poor little “Mac”. He seems to be trying to nurse and Swazi is having none of it. What a shock to this little guys system. We all feel his pain.
It’s good that Swazi has 2 nipples because Mac is determined to nurse.
True!
BTW, do elephants ever have twins?
Moderator’s note: Not that we know of.
There was a documented case ot 2 sets of twins within the same herd in the Balule Private Nature Reserve, which is within the Greater Kruger National Park, back in 2007. Apparently one of the mothers had also had another set of twins previously who were 6 years old when the new twins came along.
I’d call that a true rarity and a great blessing.
Wow!
I hope all the twin babies had healthy birth weights and their mother made it through their births safely.
It is quite unusual, but not unheard of. It’s happened a few times in captivity.
Can you imagine carrying 400+ lbs around? Poor moms!!
They put Mac into the yard with Mom and baby while they were cleaning the other part of the yard and it looked like he started nursing almost immediately!
Thanks for the video and blog. She is such a darling and am so happy that it is a girl after all the boys that have been born. I was watching yesterday when I think it was Mac put his trunk through the wires and the little girl went right over to it and laid her’s against his. Such a sweet moment to see.
eMacembe La Lu Hlata reached out to Newbie already? Cool!
So happy for SDZ and the birth of the baby panda and now this little ellie girl!! Exciting times for all! I have so enjoyed viewing mom Swazi and her little girl. I am worried, however, that the baby ellie can’t reach her mom’s nipples to nurse. It looks like she is really struggling to nurse for any extended period…or is that just how elephants nurse…in brief spurts? Is the little one getting enough milk from mom?
Moderator’s note: The video stating she hadn’t nursed yet was filmed before she figured it out. She is nursing now–no worries!
Martha,, I remember Curtis saying previously when one of the other calves was born that they nurse for very short periods each time but regularly every 30 minutes or less to begin with. Then that period of time grows as they do.
poor Macembe. he has to go thru conditioning to stop trying to nurse from mama (Swazi). but it’s nice he has access to Swazi and baby sis today.
Mom went back in the small part of the yard by herself with the baby. Mac followed her. Did you watch how hard she was trying to push Mac back out of that part of the yard. Do Mom a favor and put Mac back in the big part by himself and give mom some peace of mind. Thanks.
Poor Mac is just miserable and appears to be bellowing with hurt and frustration when his mother shoves him away. He just doesn’t understand the reason she doesn’t want him around anymore. He was even lying down on the dirt pile, maybe thinking that if he were little, his mother would still love him. I’ve never seen a calf so unhappy. He was his mother’s special baby for his whole life until yesterday.
Awwww! Come here Mac. I will give you some TLC. You can`t nurse from me though.
That is so sad!
Mom just pushed Mac out of the front yard. Now, just close the gate and let Mom and daughter have a chance to bond quietly. Thanks.
and here’s hoping that soon Swazi can go back to cuddling eMacembe even while she’s weaning him and nursing Newbie.
Thanks so much for the video! I would not have any idea what new baby looks like without it!
Everytime I tune in, the cam is focused on someone else.
I am so thrilled to see Swazi’s new baby girl. How adorable she is (but then, aren’t they all just precious???)!
Quick question: I am planning on visiting down there on Sep 9 & 10. Will the baby be out with the main herd by then. I seem to remember Nipho getting out with the others pretty quickly. I am just wondering if I will get any good glimpses of the new little one by that date.
Moderator’s note: Of course we can’t promise anything, but she should be out with everyone by then. We look forward to your visit, Deborah!
Did anyone else see Musi bullying Umghani yesterday? She was backing down and he was still coming for her. He was even preventing Neepo from nursing. The keepers finally had to separate out Musi, Luti, Ndula, and Msholo in order to calm things down.
Hopefully the team has an “elephant whisperer” to get a change in Musi’s behavior. He looks to be a pain in the rear, literally, with that one big tusk of his and his attitude. Poor Umgani!
Yes, I saw it. In fact, it was my first glimpse of the behavior everyone has been talking about. I wanted to give him a stern talking to. I am confused as to how removing Ndula causes him to back off a little. Does she encourage this behavior. In human terms, it would seem to be just the opposite. When Mom is around, you behave or else.
“When Mom is around, you behave or else.”
Except when she’s one of those “oh *my* little darling would never misbehave!!!” people. :/
Patty,
I watched that showdown for quite awhile yesterday, too. I thought Umngani was holding her own. She is just too sweet to be more aggressive. But, Musi just wouldn’t let it go either. Wonder if it’s the new baby or something else that has him all fired up?
I just love the elephant cam and spend entirely too much time watching it, lol. I just wish it had sound. : (
It looks like Swazi needs the herd to help her with the kids. She is losing her patience with Mac. I hope they get out in the yard soon. Baby girl is such a cute very little girl. Congrats to the keepers and the Safari Park. I’ll be comming when the weather cools.
poor Musi. we humans see him as being quite naughty these days. but he has to answer to his biology and hormones first. this is the first time I’ve observed a male elephant at that stage. I wonder if Swazi weren’t so occupied with the baby, would she make Musi take time-outs. hard to tell.
just after posting, I caught Musi pulling Umngani’s tail as she was walking away. poor Umngani too!
Welcome little one !
With this adorable cutie when will name the baby sweepstakes occur?
We don’t know how the calf will be named just yet.
Let Swazi decide the name. Three buckets each with a name filled with pellets. Whichever one Swazi eats from first then that is the name. It would make a cool headline. Elephant mother decides her baby’s name.
Erin that’s a great idea for choosing her name when the time comes..
Personally I think her name should reflect the long wait everyone has endured for another girl. Just not sure what it might translate out into from their native land
Very cute idea! Keepers pick their top favorite names and Swazi decides.
Wondering why we aren’t seeing the little one any more. Cam panned by and she and Swazi were clearly visible in the upper yard. I have been sitting here for hours and not a single glimpse. Very disappointing!
A big thanks to the volunteer cam operators! Without you we wouldn’t get to see the exciting world of our elephants. I’m also wondering why we don’t get more time with Swazi and the new little girl. Are there certain things that you aren’t supposed to focus on? I’d be so grateful to be able to see the baby more often. Thanks.
Oh she is so pretty. At only 205 pounds, she should be relatively easy to sneak out of the Park in my pocket.
Sorry…. but you may be too late. Although she has no pockets, I am sure that Kami will be the one who will soon abscond with our new baby girl.
actually I feel like Macembe will be ok within a short time (with not nursing from Swazi). Ingadze adjusted with Neepo’s birth. even Emanti was physically ok when he was no longer able to nurse.
I’m slightly nervous about thinking Neepo is going to try to mount the baby girl when Swazi and daughter rejoin the herd. Neepo is going to get scolded by Swazi, I have a feeling. hopefully he will learn fast (and Macembe too). hopefully the baby girl will become a strong playmate.
Welcome little girl and congratulations to Swazi and all the wardens. Looking forward to seeing the baby grow up and her little personality develop too. Thank you all
Have not seen Swazi and her calves since mid afternoon yesterday. Does the cam operator select the viewing or is there some other reason?
Moderator’s note: Please remember that our volunteer cam operators are responsible for five cams at once. It is not possible to continually follow the actions in one area without sometimes missing an opportunity in another area. We are so grateful to our volunteers. Without them, we would not be able to provide these views at all.
I had always thought the Condor and Panda cams were operated by those areas themselves and not the cam operators who man the Ape, Polar Bear and Elephant cams.
We as spectators, far and wide, appreciate the cam operators as much as the Park does, maybe more. It’s just we are all very excited to be able to watch the little calf in her first days as much as possible.
Totally understood, perhaps my question needs restating. Do the operators follow a plan set up by the Park as to how long with each family group and certain hours to see certain situations, or do they themselves select? Also, are they familiar with each elephant and able to identify them, or are they more on the technical camera end of it all? Absolutely we are forever grateful to the volunteers that make this all possible and we realize that they may just have lives too which pull them away from the computer and so they set the cam where seemingly the most action may be. Maybe a little education as to how this is all brought to us would be interesting .
Moderator’s note: There is no agenda for each cam each day. We just ask that the volunteer Cam operators follow whatever action seems most interesting. As for the operators knowing “who is who,” some perhaps more than others. Hope this helps.
And, do they operate the cam from their homes or at a zoo facility? Since they have five at one time, I am assuming they have five computers?
Thanks for all you do to help us understand everything.
Moderator’s note: They usually operate the cams from home. They do not have a computer for each cam, but rather scroll from one to the other to see where the action is and follow it.
Great thanks! Could be several that follow,this would want to volunteer!
Could Musi be going into musth?
Dianna : From all I’ve been able to find out, male african elephants go into musth about three years after sexual maturity (between eight and 15 years of age) is reached. The musth secretion increases gradually until the bulls reach their 40’s, after which, it declines in strength and intensity.
Female African elephants experience a much less intense form of musth. It is thought that the scent of the secretion primarily helps unify the herd
No. He is too young.
Kami, Neepo, and Emanti are hilarious this morning, rolling in the mud and playing together! Too cute!
Am I imagining things, or did I just see Swazi and baby girl out in the main yard? If so, WOO-HOO!!!
Oh wow!!! Swazi and family are out and about!! This is the BEST!
Not imagining she’s out there with her little girl and the others are trying to check out the little one. Looks as if Swazi is being very protective (of course). Ahhhhh… this is so great to see. Thanks all you wonderful people at SDZ Safari Park and you cam operators. You all get a 5-Star rating…
For those who have never been to the Safari Park, the camera is up high. There is a rock shade structure that the camera does not see into or around. That is what you see when there is a close up with rock only occasionally. When we were there last week, Swazi’s favorite spot was out of the view of the cam. When the operator seems to be searching, it could be that Swazi and baby are not where the cam can view them. Very clever Swazi, how did you know this?! : )
Operator seems to have lost the baby. Swazi went into the structure closest to the barn – for shade.
Wow !!! I happened to see baby’s first introduction to the yard today on cam !! So cool. As expected, Kami was the first one to venture over to check the cutie out. She was obviously vibrating with excitement, but did fairly well in containing herself as not to overly upset mom Swazi. Although Khosi was a bit forward and got herself ushered away by mom . Gotta love it all !!
Who is that who has been helping mom with the baby is it kami or ingadze
what happened to the video feed? Since last Friday the elephant cam comes up as a white screen – not even the colored screen saying “vidoe fee not available”…
Moderator’s note: Nothing appears to be wrong on our end. What browser are you using?