Baby elephant joy at Chester Zoo

Jul 22 2010 by Laurie Stocks-Moore, Chester Chronicle

Baby elephant joy at Chester Zoo

ELEPHANTS at Chester Zoo trumpeted with joy at the arrival of a baby boy.

Asian Elephant Sithami gave birth to a calf at Chester Zoo just before midnight on Monday night.

Both mum and calf are doing well. Sithami, 13, is also mum to Sundara, six. The proud dad is 16-year-old Upali.

Stephanie Sanderson, head of conservation medicine, said the zoo was pleased with the news.

She said: “Mum and calf are doing very well and we are very excited to see the new arrival.

“Our visitors will be able to see mum and baby later today but in the meantime the new calf is being looked after by mum, sister Sundara and grandmother Thi.”

The baby will soon have a new aunty or uncle as Thi herself is pregnant and due to give birth in the coming weeks.

The baby is the eighth elephant at the zoo and will enjoy the recently improved enclosure.

More than 2,000 tonnes of sand were added to the paddock two weeks ago, giving the area a makeover with rocks and logs used to create terraces.

Upright logs for scratching and pushing have also been added.