Zoo Celebration Includes Gifts to Infants Born in Area Hospitals
POWELL, Oh. – The newborn baby elephant at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium spent its first night napping and nursing according to animal care staff.
“The baby often leans on mom Phoebe to sleep”, said Assistant Curator Harry Peachey. “At one point during the night Phoebe very slowly lowered herself to the floor in an attempt to lie down without waking her new baby. When she was almost settled, the baby vocalized softly and Phoebe immediately stood back up and resumed her vigilant watch. She is a wonderful mother.”
Phoebe and the as yet unnamed male calf are being watched 24 hours a day by the Zoo’s animal care experts. They describe him as a playful youngster that is already exploring his environment.
To celebrate the birth, Zoo staff members are delivering plush elephant toys, customized birth certificates, and Zoo passes to infants born on the same day in area hospitals.
“I often hear our visitors comparing their age to that of one of the animals at the Zoo” said Jeff Swanagan, Executive Director of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. “I certainly remember animals that were born at the same time as my own kids.”
None of the other Central Ohio newborns can compare in size to the Columbus Zoo’s elephant calf that weighed in at 303 pounds. The petite pachyderm was born on Friday, March 27 at approximately 2:35 p.m. after a 655 day gestation period.
This is 21-year-old Phoebe’s third offspring and her second with sire Coco, 38 years of age. Phoebe and Coco made Columbus Zoo history on April 16, 2004 with the arrival of Bodhi (BO-dee), the Zoo’s first successful elephant birth. Thirty-five-year-old Connie completes the Columbus Zoo elephant herd.
The pairing of Phoebe and Coco was recommended by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan for Asian elephants. The AZA, of which the Columbus Zoo is an accredited member, strives to maintain a sustainable population of the endangered elephants in North America. In the past five years only nine Asian elephants have been born in six AZA zoos including the new calf and Bodhi at the Columbus Zoo.
An endangered species, Asian elephants are represented by an estimated 38,000 to 51,000 individuals living in fragmented populations in the wild. Agriculture, deforestation and conflict with humans pose a constant threat to wild Asian elephants.
The Columbus Zoo is committed to Elephant Conservation with a 20-year history of supporting wildlife conservation through a Conservation Grants program. Over the past five years, the Zoo has provided $3.8 million of privately raised revenue in support for field projects and conservation organizations in more than 40 countries.
To allow quiet time for Phoebe and her newborn, Zoo visitors are currently unable to see them. The Zoo will announce viewing information when it becomes available. Details for a naming contest in conjunction with The Columbus Dispatch, Papa John’s Pizza, and Sunny 95 will also be provided at a later date.
Updates on Phoebe and her calf can be found on the Zoo’s web site www.columbuszoo.org, Facebook, and you can follow us on Twitter.
Columbus Zoo and Aquarium is open every day of the year from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. General admission is $12 for adults, $7 for children ages 2 to 9 and seniors 60+. Children under 2 and Columbus Zoo members are free. The Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA.) For more information, visit www.columbuszoo.org.
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