Male Asian elephant calf born at Amsterdam’s Artis Zoo; Public to name newborn

A male elephant calf was born on Wednesday evening at Artis, the Amsterdam zoo, giving the park a rare Christmas gift. The birth, which took just ten minutes, went smoothly, and the newborn quickly stood on its four feet and began nursing from its mother, Thong Thai.

Zoo staff had noticed changes in the herd earlier in the afternoon. “We saw the herd changing throughout the day,” said Peter Bleesing, team leader of animal care at Artis. “At the end of the day, we checked the barn one last time. We were alert, but we did not expect it to happen so quickly. Yet the calf was born almost immediately.”

Currently, the Artis herd consists of five elephants: Thong Thai and her four offspring. Last year, a male elephant was brought to Amsterdam to breed, and the pairing was successful before the bull continued to Wildlands in Emmen.

Visitors might see the newborn within a week, though visitors can already follow the calf via a livestream. Artis is inviting the public to submit name suggestions for the calf, provided the chosen name connects to the species’ natural habitat.

Zoo staff confirmed that the newborn is healthy. “We could hear the calf making smacking sounds and saw it actively trying to drink,” Bleesing said. The rest of the herd, including Thong Thai’s youngest daughter, who is also pregnant, remained close throughout the birth, circling the calf in a protective formation.

The Asian elephant is a threatened species. Artis participates in the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP) to maintain a healthy population in European zoos.