Elephant, Oh baby.

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Indianapolis Zoo - Indianapolis, Indiana


Did you know...

* New-born elephants are born with an incredible mass of 77-113 kg. But they weight only 4% of an adult female's weight and only 2% of an adult male's.
* New-borns may consume 11.4 litres of milk a day
* Young calves commence weaning from the first year of life until the tenth year of life
* The brain of new-born elephants are 30-40% of the size of that of an adult
* Mothers allocate care and interact differently depending on the baby's sex

Infancy is a fascinating time for all species. In the case of the elephant life cycle, it is early childhood that is most captivating. The new-born enters this world at an incredible mass of 77-113 kg, with a height of about 91 cm at the shoulder, and unbelievably may consume 11.4 litres of milk a day.

The young calves are tended not only by their mothers, but also by other females of the herd. There are many eyewitness accounts of the females in the herd gathering around to welcome the Elephant new-born. Within minutes of the birth, the mother and other females trumpet, rumble and scream, oozing temporal secretions down the side of their faces. During these initial minutes the mother also attempts to help the new-born rise to its feet. This is a matter of survival since the new-born must stand to drink its mother's milk. Without this necessary food, the calf is sure to perish.

This kinship and social contact allows the young elephants to successfully reach other stages in life cycles. Infancy is not only an important time for the young calves, but also for the young mothers-to-be. It is through the close interaction and kinship between the two that allows the young females to develop necessary skills required for motherhood. However, first time mothers can be very awkward with their babies and depending on their experience can even play a role in hindering the calf from feeding.


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