News
New edition to ZSL Whipsnade Zoo:
A tiny baby elephant standing just 3ft high was born at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo, it is the latest addition to the herd at the Zoo. Why not go and visit the new born of this endangered and beautiful animal species!
The pint-sized pachyderm was born on 22nd July 2009 to mum Kaylee, 27, weighing in at a healthy 126kg (almost 20st). Adult elephants can weigh over 800st.
The speedy nipper was on her feet within five minutes of being born, the quickest any calf born at the Zoo has been up and about.
She has already been enjoying the summer sunshine, taking her first wobbly steps outside, much to the delight of zoo visitors, at around 12 hours old – under the watchful eye of her keepers.
Sticking close to mum the as-yet-unnamed elephant has spent her first few days getting to grips with her seven acre paddock and meeting the other seven elephants that make up the herd.
Zoological Director, David Field, said: "The safe birth of the Asian elephant calf is a tribute to the keeping staff at the elephant house who were monitoring Kaylee's condition constantly in the days leading up to the delivery.
There’s always a lot going on at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo, with all forms of animal life explored and celebrated. Between May and October 2007, fans of butterflies will be heading for the Whipsnade Native Butterfly Garden, where hundreds of species of these beautiful insects will be available for study.
The Elephantastic! exhibition is, as always, a perennially popular element of the Whipsnade experience, with a rare chance to interact with the huge pachyderms that have made the zoo famous over the years.
On 7 September there will be a talk for ZSL members titled Let’s Talk Bats, a chance for anyone interested in these elusive British creatures to learn more about them and to discuss the threats posed to their native environment. From 28 to 30 September members are also invited to learn more about the world-renowned Zurich Zoo and its collection, just one of many events organised by ZSL that offer members the opportunity to step deeper inside the world of wildlife.