An elephant calf has been welcomed into the world at a California zoo that is committed to an elephant breeding initiative. The Fresno Chaffee Zoo shared the news that African elephant Nolwazi successfully gave birth in the early hours of Friday. The newborn calf will be under constant watch by zoo staff, marking the first time one of the zoo’s elephants has given birth. Zoo’s chief executive Jon Forrest Dohlin expressed the significance of this event, calling it a historic milestone for the facility.
Situated about 150 miles southeast of San Francisco in central California, the Fresno Chaffee Zoo has taken on a breeding program with the goal of showcasing elephants to zoo visitors in the future. While this breeding program has received some criticism from animal activists who advocate against keeping elephants in zoos due to their complex needs, the zoo remains committed to its efforts. Some larger zoos have chosen to discontinue their elephant programs, preferring to relocate the animals to sanctuaries with more space.
The Fresno zoo introduced a male elephant in 2022 with the hope that he would mate with Nolwazi and her daughter, Amahle. The zoo anticipates that Amahle will also give birth in the following weeks. Due to elephants’ low reproduction rates and lengthy 22-month gestation periods, the future of elephants in zoos primarily relies on successful breeding programs.
