First-of-Its-Kind Elephant Birthed at Indianapolis Zoo

This Labor Day was special for the Indianapolis Zoo, which made history after the first elephant in the world was born through artificial insemination to a mother who was conceived through the same procedure.

First-time elephant mama Zahara gave birth to an African male calf around 5:30 p.m. Monday, the zoo announced.

Care staff expected the birth to occur soon after routine blood tests on Friday alerted them to the forthcoming birth, the zoo said. The baby elephant arrived 20 minutes after the initial signs of labor. 

“Zahara’s mother Ivory is known for her short labor times, and this baby came quickly as well,” Assistant Curator of Elephants Niki Kowalski said. 

The calf weighed 262 pounds and was standing within 10 minutes of being born, the zoo said. 

Zahara quickly assumed her new-mom duties and is an attentive and gentle mother, Kowalski said. She keeps her eye on her son, who Kowalski said is adventurous and playful. 

This isn’t the first time the Indianapolis Zoo has made history. The first and second African elephants in the world to be conceived through artificial insemination were born at the zoo in 2000.