Columbus Zoo welcomes second Asian elephant calf this year

POWELL, Ohio (AP) — The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium has welcomed its second baby elephant in a single calendar year for the first time in its nearly 100-year history, a milestone that the Ohio attraction is touting as a win for conservation.

Thirty-eight-year-old Phoebe gave birth to the male Asian elephant calf at 10:41 p.m. Tuesday. The 222-pound (100-kilogram) offspring is not yet on view to the public. That’s so the pair gets uninterrupted bonding time and the zoo’s animal care and conservation medicine team can provide round-the-clock monitoring as the baby begins to stand, nurse and explore his surroundings.

The calf’s father, Sabu, lives at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden. They were paired through a national zoo initiative that aims to support healthy, genetically-diverse populations of threatened and endangered species in professional care.

Although there have been recent signs of hope for Asian elephants in the wild, habitat degradation and the challenges of maintaining genetic diversity are among reasons they remain endangered.

The baby joins Phoebe’s already large family, which includes another male and two female offspring. Her daughter Sunny, who is 16, gave birth to a female calf named Rita Jean four months ago.

The zoo said it will continue to share updates on public viewing opportunities, naming plans and other baby milestones.