Pet Lovers

[On It]

@ChiliPepper This story just gets better and better. A rescued elephant is the proud Poppa Doc! I wish someone could do a children's book about this elephant family.

[ChiliPepper]

@On It 

@on the bay 

NOTICE THE FUZZIES ON THEIR LEGS!!!

Cuteness overload!!!

[On It]

@ChiliPepper I have noticed the second adult in a couple of the pictures. Is the second one helping the new mom or just hanging out with them?

[ChiliPepper]

It takes a village.........

[ChiliPepper]

Female elephants act like Aunties & help the new Mom.

Unfortunately, male elephants can be aggressive & are kept separate.

[ChiliPepper]

Syracuse’s Rosamond Gifford Zoo is celebrating the extremely rare birth of Asian elephant twins.  The males were born to parents Mali and Doc on October 24th, and an elephant care team has been monitoring the twins’ health around the clock.

The first calf was born at two am, and much to the surprise of staff, a second calf arrived 10 hours later. The second was heavier but weaker, and the team was able to improve his condition with him with a supplemental specialized milk replacer. Both are thriving and were introduced for the first time Thursday.

The sheer improbability and the complexity of elephant ultrasounds means the zoo team did not anticipate twins. Elephant twins comprise less than one percent of births worldwide. Usually, the twins are stillborn or too weak to survive, and sometimes the mother does not survive. There has never been a recorded case of surviving elephant twins in the US.

In a news release, Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon called the births a truly historic moment for the zoo and the community.

“I couldn’t be prouder of our exceptional animal care team, the support of the veterinary staff and their tremendous dedication,” said McMahon. “The important research happening right here at the zoo will have a significant impact worldwide on behalf of this magnificent endangered species”

Zoo Director Ted Fox commended his team to ensure the care and safety of Mali and her twins.

"It has been incredible to watch them in action and witness the high level of expertise, professionalism and focus under pressure,” said Fox. “The continued work and research that follows will significantly contribute to global research efforts on behalf of elephant care, Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpes Virus (EEHV), and more.”

Experts at Baylor University will study the placentas for research toward the development of a vaccine to combat a lethal, naturally occurring strain of herpes. The virus claimed the lives of Mali and Doc’s previous two calves in December 2020. The birth of the twins is the third generation in the herd’s family, which now swells to eight members.

[ChiliPepper]

@On It

Rosamond Gifford Zoo's baby elephant twins get their names

Syracuse, NY — The results in the naming competition for the baby elephant twins from Rosamond Gifford Zoo are in, and both names have a Micron theme.

The baby elephants are named Yaad, which means memory and Tukada, which means chip. The twins were born to parents Mali and Doc in October.

The names were presented by Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon as well as officials from Micron.

Micron will also be sponsoring events at the zoo, like 'Holiday with the Animals' where the chip manufacturer will pay for the community to attend.

McMahon says both elephants are doing well with the first baby being born at 220 lbs and now weighing in at 252 lbs. The second baby who fought at birth to survive, was 237 lbs when born and now he's 254 lbs.

[ChiliPepper]

[ValuSkr]

Great names! Micron is planning to build a huge computer chip manufacturing facility in the Syracuse suburbs that will bring a lot of good-paying jobs. So, It's no wonder "memory" and "chip" were on peoples' minds.

[On It]

@ChiliPepperThank you for the update. The names are fitting not only for what is happening in the Syracuse area, but I have always understood that elephants have an excellent memory.

I think about the babies often. I hope Mom is holding up well. I want to thank you for responding to my OP and giving us a first hand accounting of what is happening with your elephant family.

I hope the red panda baby is progressing nicely, too. They are such a distinctive animal. Sometimes I see raccoon and fox features. I never see panda. They are definitely uniquely their own.