250-pound baby — named after a gemstone — is born at Missouri zoo. See the newborn
The fourth generation of Asian elephants at a Missouri zoo just began with the birth of a 250-pound newborn, the zoo announced.
“IT’S A BOY!” the St. Louis Zoo said in a news release announcing the elephant’s Nov. 23 birth.
Jet, the newborn named after a gemstone like his family members, was the first elephant at the zoo to be born through artificial insemination, the zoo said.
He’s bonding with his mother, 17-year-old Jade in St. Louis, while his father, Jake, is at the Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance.
Artificial insemination is used to help create “genetic diversity” in the species as it faces threats of extinction in the wild, according to the zoo. Poaching and habitat loss plague the 50,000 elephants that remain in the wild.
An elephant pregnancy lasts about 22 months, according to the zoo. Now, she gets to spend time away from the public eye and bond with her baby.
Asian elephants, an endangered species, are found in areas of India and Southeastern Asia, according to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute. These creatures spend the majority of their day eating or making their way to a source of water and food.
Eventually, visitors will be able to see Jet with his other family members, including his great-grandparents Pearl and Onyx.
“When the calf is older and temperatures are warm enough, baby will be able to explore his outdoor habitat,” zoo officials said.
This story was originally published November 25, 2024 at 12:56 PM with the headline "250-pound baby — named after a gemstone — is born at Missouri zoo. See the newborn."
