Presumed dead elephant baby born alive
Mar 10th, 2010 | By mervi | Category: Featured articles10.3.2010 – Posted by Patricia Roberts
Joy mixed with shame. That is what the nursing staff felt at the birth of a baby elephant at the Taronga Zoo in Sydney. The chick was still three days earlier declared dead in the womb of the mother.
“While this news is incredible, the young elephant still has a long way to go,” said the director of the zoo Cameron Kerr. “We have no guarantee that the pup gets it in the long term, but we hope that his birth may be a good omen”.
On Monday, the keepers who accompanied the eighteen year old elephant Porntip during her pregnancy lasting 22 months were deeply saddened when they heard the news that the fetus died during labor.
According to the spokesperson of the zoo there was no heartbeat of the baby elephant. Also, according to the German elephant expert Thomas Hildebrand, the five elephants, which held the pregnant mother company, expressed grief because they have not felt the baby move.
It turned out that is not true. The new family member weighs 100 kilograms
Dear Patricia,
I know I keep repeating myself but this is another proof that miracles do happen!!! I wish the little fantje a long and happy life. Of course, I wish a good life for the brave mommy, too!
Hugs from Mervi
Dear Patricia
that is good news to hear from Sydney. I hope Porntip’s first baby will make it and can lead a healthy and happy life in this beautiful Taronga Zoo.
Porntip had been inseminated artificially by a Berlin Team of the Institute of Zoo Biology and Wildlife Research, so there is a link between Knut’s City and Sydney Zoo. Isn’t that also a Good Omen?
I pray for the little one that all goes well.
Thank you so much for this contribution
LG, caren
Dear Patricia!
How nice news. Thank you so much.
TBM
Dear Patricia
Thank you for the wonderfull news. i cross my fingers that evenrything goes fine with the little elephant.
Bea
Oh, Patricia, Thank you for this good news story…I hope all the best for the little one…xo k-j
Learning about that “Jumbo Error” as this event was called somewhere on Google news I was thrilled. All our fingers, toes, paws and hooves were crossed all night and prayers for the little one were whispered/purred/neighed too.
And first thing this morning I did was looking for an update on “Mr.Shuffles” ~ looks pretty good, but please look yourself
http://babyelephant.taronga.org.au/
Keep on going, lil’fantje, all over the world hearts beat for you!
Velvet
Velvet,
Thank you so much for the link! The cutifantje is simply adorable!
Mervi
Good news comes in all sorts of packages. I’m so glad that the newborn elephant calf has the caring attention of the other elephants. He stands to make it ! Cheers & Hooray !
Big Elephant Hugs, Tish
PS: Thank you, Velvet, for the link.
Thank you Patricia for bringing us this wonderful story and thank you Velvet for the link on updates! We have been keeping all our toes and paws crossed here too! The last thing we looked at last night and the first thing this morning was trying to get more info on how Mr. Shuffles is doing…so far so good. Aren’t elephant families great, though–the whole herd apparently gave up a meal to welcome the little one! Congratulations go to Mom Porntip for enduring such a long labor and being so trusting of her keepers and doctors.
Hugs from Sarsam
The nature is incredible and it is always surprising the men.
Thank you Patricia for share this wonderfull surprise.