There was a bit of commotion at Melbourne Zoo overnight, with the safe-and-sound arrival of a healthy new Asian elephant calf.

Around 1am, mother Dokkoon gave birth to a very cute, very small (by comparison) calf, following a 22-month pregnancy.

“It is such a joy to welcome this beautiful elephant calf to our herd and to witness its first interactions with its mother and other members of the herd,” said Erin Gardiner, Trail of the Elephants life science manager at Melbourne Zoo, in a statement.

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This is the first Asian elephant calf to be born through natural conception at Melbourne Zoo. And it’s also the first of three calves expected at the Parkville zoo in the coming months, with two more babies due in early 2023, to mothers Num Oi and Mali.

While the sex is yet to be determined, the new arrival will be named in the coming weeks through a competition for Zoos Victoria members. Check the zoo’s social-media channels for information on when the public will get to view it.

“We are giving mother and calf all the quiet time and space they need to bond and develop their relationship with one another and the herd,” Gardiner said. “We look forward to introducing the calf to our community of elephant lovers in the coming days when mum and bub are ready.”

The tightly bonded Asian elephant herd will move to Werribee Open Range Zoo in 2024, when its $88 million state-of-the-art expansion is ready.

zoo.org.au