Story By: Koen Berghuis, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: CEN
Video Credit: CEN/Pairi Daiza
These are the first living moments of a cute baby elephant born in Europe’s biggest herd as the British zookeeper who oversaw the delivery explains the procedure.
The female elephant calf was born in the early morning hours of 8th June in Pairi Daiza Zoo, located in the town of Brugelette in the Belgian province of Hainaut.
Video footage shows the baby elephant moments after 16-year-old mother Farina gave birth, and the cute calf is quickly helped to her feet and is immediately warmly cared for by the other members of the herd.
Pictures Credit: CEN/Pairi Daiza
The calf is mother Farina’s fourth, while for 18-year-old father Po Chin it is his third.
British zookeeper Rob Conachie, who is the chief elephant zookeeper at Pairi Daiza, oversaw the birth of the new calf who is yet to be named.
He said: “She is very, very strong, she was up on her feet extremely quickly.”
According to Conachie, it was one of the fastest deliveries he has ever seen in his experience as an elephant zookeeper.
Conachie said: “The birth of this calf was once again a unique moment because Farina could give birth right in the middle of the herd which also consists of her mother and her two daughters.
“It was a beautiful family moment for our elephants and for this herd, which counts three generations. Also for our team of zookeepers every birth is a moment of joy and pride by which we are reminded of the importance and purpose of our work.”
Pairi Daiza chief veterinarian Tim Bouts added: “Delivering a healthy calf into this world will never get old. For Pairi Daiza as well as for me personally these are the most beautiful moments.
“Farina is an excellent mother, which she has proven before in the past. Together with her, the rest of the herd and our entire team we continue to battle for the conservation of these amazing, threatened species.”
Zoo spokesman Mathieu Goedefroy said that Pairi Daiza chose to hire Conachie last year because he is one of the world’s best.
Goedefroy said: “Last year Rob became Elephant Manager at Pairi Daiza. We chose him because he has unparalleled expertise when it comes to elephants. He has been living in Belgium ever since and works full-time for Pairi Daiza.
“Our elephant project – which with 22 animals is the largest herd in Europe – only deserves the best of experts.”
Conachrie, a farmer’s son from South Somerset, has previously worked at Whipsnade Zoo, a zoo and safari park located at Whipsnade, near Dunstable in Bedfordshire and considered the largest zoo in the UK.
Before he was hired by the Belgian zoo, Conachrie worked at a zoo in the United States.
Pairi Daiza now has 20 Asian elephants and two African elephants, making it the largest herd in Europe. The herd exists out of elephants coming from other zoos, circus animals, as well as those who were born in the Belgian zoo such as the newborn calf.
The elephants have a large enclosure measuring seven hectares in size.
According to the Red List of endangered species of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) the amount of Asian elephants has decreased by 50 percent within the last three generations due to poaching and the destruction of their natural habitat.
It is estimated that only 38,000 elephants still roam the forests of south-east Asia.
Working together with the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP), a population management programme for animals of the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), Pairi Daiza hopes to reintroduce the elephants into the wild at some point.
The ViralTab page is created by and dedicated to professional, independent freelance journalists. It is a place for us to showcase our work. When our news is sold to our media partners, we will include the link here.
