While many of us are familiar with ultrasounds of human babies, not many of us have had the privilege of seeing a baby elephant before it is born, but now Oklahoma City Zoo has released to the public amazing ultrasound video showing an elephant calf in the womb.
The calf belongs to 25-year-old Asha, who is an Asian elephant. We shouldn't expect to see the baby anytime soon though. While Asha is already 8 months pregnant, elephants carry their calves for around 22 months before they are born. This will be Asha's fourth baby.
Ultrasounds are usually carried out to make sure there are no health issues for either mother or baby, and thankfully, after close examination by a team of highly trained vets, both Asha and her unborn child were given a clean bill of health.
In the ultrasound, the baby elephant's little limbs can be seen along with a tiny trunk and big ears.
Rachel Emory, OKC Zoo's curator of elephants and rhinos, told reporters:
"We are extremely excited to have a calf on the way and look forward to this new addition joining our multigenerational herd, and watching as our elephants interact with a little one. Asian elephants are endangered so every pregnancy is valuable to the survival of this beloved animal as their wild counterparts continue to face extreme hardships in their native habitats."
"Asha's main diet consists of hay, grass, and tree limbs—her personal favourite. She also receives extra fruits and vegetables as positive reinforcement during all of her training sessions. All of these training sessions, like the ultrasound, are completely voluntary and allow us to safely and comfortably provide medical care for all of the elephants. Asha especially enjoys watermelon, cantaloupe, and bananas during these sessions."
When born, an Asian elephant baby usually weighs around 220 lbs (100 kg). As elephants are herd animals, it is often the case that baby elephants, in particular female elephants, will live with their mothers for the rest of their lives. The current life expectancy of an Asian elephant is around 50 years, but in captivity, some can live to be much older.
Asha currently lives at the zoo with six other elephants.
h/t: My Modern Met
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