The Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute announced on Nov. 24 that one of its Asian elephants is expecting, marking the first time an elephant calf will be born at the zoo in nearly 25 years.
Animal care staff at the zoo, which is located in Washington, D.C., are preparing for the "highly anticipated" birth of an Asian elephant calf, according to anews release. The zoo said its male elephant, Spike, 44, bred with female elephant Nhi Linh, 12, in April 2024.
"Staff are closely monitoring Nhi Linh and are cautiously optimistic she will deliver a healthy calf between mid-January and early March next year," the zoo said in the news release.
Asian elephants, which are an endangered species, are pregnant for an average of 18 to 22 months, according to the zoo. The zoo noted that every birth for the species is "a boon" as there are fewer than 50,000 Asian elephants left in the wild worldwide.
The National Zoo, one of the oldest zoos in the country, has had only two elephant births since its founding in 1889. Asian elephant Kumari, the first elephant to be born at the zoo, was 16 months old when she died in 1995,according to Smithsonian archives.
Another Asian elephant, Kandula, was born at the zoo in 2001 and became the fifth elephant in the world to be conceived by artificial insemination, the Smithsonian said in a2008 news release. In 2015, he wasrelocated to the Oklahoma City Zooto support his natural development and participate in a breeding program, according to the zoo.
Brandie Smith, the John and Adrienne Mars Director of the National Zoo, said Nhi Linh's calf represents hope for the species' future. The zoo said it will provide an update on its website, e-newsletter, and social media as Nhi Linh's due date approaches.
"The first step to saving any species is getting people to care. As animal ambassadors, elephant calves are as charming and charismatic as they come," Smith said in a statement. "I can't wait for visitors to experience the joy of watching our multigenerational herd socialize, play and learn—reminding us how much we share with these gentle, intelligent animals."
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'Feisty' Nhi Linh matched with 'laid-back' Spike
Spike arrived at the National Zoo in 2018 from Busch Gardens Tampa Bay in Florida, according to the zoo. The zoo said he is on loan from Zoo Miami. Meanwhile, Nhi Linh and her mother, 22-year-old Trong Nhi, arrived at the zoo in 2022 as a gift from the Rotterdam Zoo in the Netherlands.
The zoo said Spike and Nhi Linh received a breeding recommendation in 2022 from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums'Species Survival Plan, a conservation effort by zoos and aquariums that focuses on threatened and endangered species.
Scientists track animals' lineage in a "studbook," and analyze their "genetic relatedness to one another," health, temperament, and other factors before making breeding recommendations, according to the zoo. The zoo noted that the matchmaking process maintains the genetic diversity of animal populations in captivity.
"This calf will be the first offspring for Nhi Linh. Although Spike sired three calves at other zoos, none survived," the zoo said in the news release. "Because Nhi Linh and Spike's genes are not well represented in zoos, their calf will help strengthen the genetic diversity of the Asian elephant population in North America and around the world."
Personality-wise, the zoo said Asian elephants are known for being "extremely smart, sensitive and social." Zoo staff described Nhi Linh's personality as "feisty and rambunctious," according to the news release.
"She is very inquisitive and brave when trying or exploring new things," the zoo said. "Keepers say she is smitten with Spike, who exudes a laid-back, 'gentlemanly' attitude."
Nhi Linh's calf will be joining a herd of six elephants, including its parents; grandmother; Bozie, 51; Swarna, 51; and Maharani, 35, according to the zoo.
Nhi Linh's pregnancy comes after her mother's complication
The zoo said its staff remained "cautiously optimistic" about Nhi Linh's pregnancy as "with any animal pregnancy, there is a possibility that miscarriage, stillbirth, or a complication could occur." Zoo staff previously confirmed that Trong Nhi also became pregnant after breeding with Spike in April 2024.
But in late October, the zoo said Trong Nhi showed intense discomfort, and further testing and ultrasound evaluations indicate that her fetus may no longer be viable. Staff are continuing to provide care and comfort to Trong Nhi, who remains stable and is "behaving and socializing normally," according to the zoo.
"Breeding Asian elephants in human care is worthwhile for many reasons, not the least of which is this species is critically endangered," Robbie Clark, the zoo's elephant manager, said in a statement. "Our team has been working tirelessly to set Trong Nhi and Nhi Linh up for success, and we were hopeful that both would have healthy calves."
"While that is not likely in the cards for Trong Nhi, we are excited to see how she steps into her new role as grandmother," Clark continued. "As Nhi Linh's birth window approaches, her health and well-being are top of mind, and we are prepared to offer support every step of the way—through labor, delivery and beyond."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Asian elephant is pregnant at Smithsonian's National Zoo in DC