FreckleTown - Katy TX

It's A Boy!

After a pregnancy lasting almost 23 months, Shanti, a 19-year-old Asian elephant, delivered a healthy 348-pound male calf Tuesday morning at the Houston Zoo's McNair Asian Elephant Habitat. The calf has been named Baylor by the Zoo's elephant care team in recognition of the unprecedented and ongoing advances made by Baylor College of Medicine's research team to significantly reduce the threat of a potentially lethal elephant herpes virus.

Shanti began exhibiting signs of labor around 10:30 Monday night. Attended by the Houston Zoo's elephant care team and assisted by the Zoo's veterinary staff, Shanti delivered the baby at 9:32 a.m. on Tuesday, May 4.

"After months of preparation and tender loving care, the delivery was actually quick and easy for Shanti," said Large Mammal Curator Daryl Hoffman. "The keepers helped Baylor get to his feet and he was standing on his own within about 2 hours after his birth," added Hoffman.

"Baylor started nursing at 12:05 p.m. Tuesday," said Hoffman. "This little elephant has a very good appetite. In the first 90 minutes after his first meal we saw him nurse more than 10 times," added Hoffman.