Jayei, the matriarch of our African elephant herd at about 30 years old, gave birth to a female calf at 6:30 a.m. on Sunday, August 6.
“We have been anticipating the birth of Jayei’s calf,” said Sarah Armstrong, the Zoo’s elephant manager. “She is our most experienced mom and was pivotal in the successful births of our first three calves to first-time moms.”
She added: “What we watched Sunday morning was simply incredible. After about three hours of labor, Jayei delivered a female calf. She was calm and confident in helping her new calf to her feet. The rest of the herd seemed very alert, curious and even anxious, but Jayei remained relaxed and attentive to her calf.
Because of Jayei’s experience as a mother and the time of year, she was given access to the outdoor habitat just four hours after the birth of her calf. The elephant care team was fortunate enough to share the calf’s first moments outside with many of our guests Sunday morning.”
At this time, the Elephant Family Quarters will remain closed to the public. However, guests may see mom with her calf and the herd in their outdoor yard, as they will have access to the area.
The father of the calf is 22-year-old Callee. He came to Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium in 2019 and this summer, was relocated to the Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita, Kansas, per the recommendation of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ African Elephant Species
Survival Plan.
“This birth is also a celebration of hope for African elephants,” said Dr. Luis Padilla, president and CEO. “We are fortunate to have a multigenerational, socially complex African elephant herd with four calves, which is unique to the United States. To see them thrive triggers such strong emotional connections to this species and inspires us to take action to conserve them. We are proud of the incredible and talented team who cares for them, and we are thrilled to share this unique experience with our community.”
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