FRESNO, Calif. — Fresno Chaffee Zoo welcomed its second elephant calf in two weeks, marking a significant moment in the zoo’s history.
Early Monday, African elephant Amahle gave birth ten days after her mother, Nolwazi, delivered another male calf.
These two births are the first-ever elephant calves born at the zoo, about 150 miles southeast of San Francisco.
The zoo’s chief executive, Jon Forrest Dohlin, shared the excitement, calling the two healthy births a “historic milestone.” He added, “We cannot wait for the public to see the new additions to our herd and share in our excitement.”
The calves and their mothers are being monitored behind the scenes as they adjust to their new environment.
The zoo had expanded its elephant exhibit in anticipation of these births. However, the breeding program has faced some criticism from animal activists who argue that elephants’ complex needs make zoos unsuitable environments for them.
In 2022, the zoo introduced a male elephant named Mabu to breed with Amahle and Nolwazi, hoping to sustain the zoo elephant population.
Due to elephants’ long gestation period of 22 months and relatively low reproductive rate, breeding programs are vital for maintaining their numbers in captivity.
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