The Smithsonian National Zoo is expecting an Asian elephant calf to be born for the first time in years there, with a due date between mid-January and March.
Elephant pregnancies last 18 to 22 months on average, the D.C. zoo said Monday. The zoo’s 44-year-old male elephant Spike bred 12-year-old female Nhi Linh in April 2024, and zoo staff hopes she will successfully give birth.
Zoo officials say a successful birth would help buoy a population under threat. Less than 50,000 Asian elephants are left in the world.
“This calf represents real hope for the future of Asian elephants. The first step to saving any species is getting people to care. As animal ambassadors, elephant calves are as charming and charismatic as they come. I can’t wait for visitors to experience the joy of watching our multigenerational herd socialize, play and learn,” Smithsonian National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute Director Brandie Smith said.
Complications are possible. Nhi Linh’s 22-year-old mother Trong Nhi was also bred by Spike in April of last year, but on Oct. 30 she “displayed intense discomfort in line with preterm labor or gastrointestinal colic,” zoo officials said.
Subsequent blood testing found “a significant and sustained drop in her progesterone and prolactin hormones — an indicator her fetus may no longer be viable,” the officials said.
The last Asian elephant to be born at the zoo was the male Kandula in 2001. He was sent to the Oklahoma City Zoo in 2015.
In addition to Spike, Nhi Linh and Trong Nhi, the National Zoo has three other females: Bozie, Swarna and Maharani.
• Brad Matthews can be reached at bmatthews@washingtontimes.com.
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