Australasian Asian Elephant Population 2022

The new baby just made the 7 news after its first appearance to the public

 

It’s good to see the new calf is getting plenty of coverage.

As Melbourne’s first surviving calf in almost a decade, this is exciting news indeed - even more so considering we can expect two more calves within the next couple of months.

It’ll be fascinating seeing the three calves grow up alongside each other - with countless comparisons between their personalities, features and milestones to be made over the years.

 

Mention was also made of the other pending calfs and the move to the Werribee Zoo

 

I was advised by the zoo that Mali was due December 2022 and Num Oi in January 2023 - but most press releases are now saying both calves are due in January 2023.

Variance is gestation (particularly by a month) is common in this species, so we’ll have to wait and see how things pan out.

Giving birth in January would be beneficial for Mali as Dokoon’s calf will be another month older and she’ll be of more assistance to her daughter during the birthing process.

 

Here’s the footage here for anyone who missed it:

 

The new calf has even rated a mention in the elephant stilt house talk at Taronga Zoo, including mentioning how her father, Luk Chai, was born at Taronga - but then again, it was my brother giving the talk

 

This birth is exciting also waiting for the other 2 is quite exciting, Hopefully more female calfs are born

 

The Evolution of the Regional Breeding Programme

Personally I think it’s phenomenal the evolution the regional breeding programme has undergone:

The first elephant in Australasia arrived in 1851 and it would be 158 years before the first calf would be born in 2009. In the 13 years that followed, 11 more calves have been born (with another two on the way) - with the most recent sired by the 2009 calf.

Two cows now have matrilineal lines and one of those will soon include three generations.

The biggest change of all is the shifting view elephants should be housed in multigenerational herds at open range zoos. Auckland, Melbourne, Perth and Taronga have all now indicated an intention to phase out elephants - following in the footsteps of Wellington and Adelaide.

 

I believe the only real mistake was trying to house a breeding herd/s in resent years in 2 city zoos. It was an expensive mistake that didn't need to happen, surely common sense would of dictated this was not a long term project especially when both Taronga and Melbourne Zoo had open range zoos.
Moving on perhaps the next step could be at some stage that Monarto zoo becomes a holder they certainly have the room.

 

I agree. Taronga really should have rennovated their exhibit to an improved standard to accommodate their ageing pair - and relocated the breeding herd to Dubbo. It wpuld have been a huge boost to the open range zoo versus Taronga, which will always be popular due to it's historical prestige and location.

What the region needs now is a bachelor facility. Both Dubbo and Melbourne have a surplus bull and more will be produced through future breeding Werribee can only accommodate so many.

 

Mali has gone into labour:

 

Nice! Fingers crossed for a smooth birth and healthy female calf.

Also makes me laugh. So many forum members going "oh x will birth on y day followed by z afterwords in such on in that order blah blah blah". Just goes to show, elephants have their own plans when it comes to parturition.

 

This is good news indeed, having 2 births a week apart from Mali and her own mother making this the first second generation birth in the region. Exciting times ahead for this herd, another female birth would really set the herd up for bigger things in the future but you get what you get at the end of the day. Just as exciting will be seeing the herd relocated to the new 50 acre elephant complex

 

A female calf is always welcome, though in this case it would add additional incentive for Werribee to acquire Putra Mas. In addition to Dokoon’s new daughter, both females would otherwise be related to both Werribee’s bulls (Luk Chai and Man Jai).

I hope the labour goes well and Dokoon can be of some assistance - though it’s not ideal she has her own newborn underfoot!

 

I can’t see for one minute why they wouldn’t want Putra Mas at werribee zoo his a proven bull with almost unrepresentative in the region

 

The region will never receive a bull of equivalent genetic value from Europe or the US - so it’s essential they consider the wider picture here. Producing genetically valuable calves is essential if we want surplus bull calves to shift (i.e. be exported). No zoo in Europe would import a calf sired by either of the Dublin bulls for example.

 

I would be somewhat shocked if he was not transferred to Werribee it would be a huge backwards step considering how valuable he is and the size and layout of the new elephant complex, I wish it could be fast tracked now the new calfs are expected

 

The transfer of the two bulls (Luk Chai and Man Jai) will be the priority. Transferring the calves around the one year mark (once they’re old enough to learn crate training) would be preferable and the bulls transferring out will free up space in the meantime.

The positive is the cows will find it easier to manage their calves within the confines of a small exhibit. Mali is a new mother and both her and Dokkoon (who has previously relied heavily on the support of the other cows) will have less support with three new calves in the herd.

 

Mali must be trying to stop the labor pains and keep the wee one in utero. I keep checking for news. None yet.
I hope all will go well. It might be a while yet.

 

Once there’s an announcement, I will post it in this thread.

It’s not unheard of for labour to last up to three days - and there will surely be a delay between the birth and the zoo making the announcement - even if it’s only by a few hours.

I’ll be fascinated to see footage of the interactions between the quartet (Dokkoon, Mali and their newborn calves). It’s a rather unique situation - especially regionally, where the closest gap between two calves at the same facility has been eight months.