A baby elephant (or calf) recently born at Dierenrijk Zoo in Mierlo has taken his first steps outside.
Baby Rashmi was born on 22 February. His mother is Asian elephant, Htoo Yin Aye. Rashmi’s sex was unknown at first. This is because the markers of an elephant’s sex, such as tusk size and shape, are not always visible for a few days or weeks.
After spending several days getting accustomed to the other elephants in the indoor enclosure, Rashmi was allowed outside, under the watchful eyes of his mother and Dierenrijk staff.
Zookeeper Stephan Rijnen says, ‘we try to let the elephants go outside every day, but we have to keep our eyes on the weather. It is important that it is not too cold or rainy for a calf. We also need to make sure Rashmi gets enough rest’.
The Asian elephant, mostly found in Indonesia, India and Borneo, is an endangered species. Dierenrijk is part of a European conservation project by the Wildlife Foundation to preserve Asian elephant populations.
Source: Studio040 and Dierenrijk
Translation: Rachael Vickerman
