Cuteness alert: It’s time for another birth announcement over at the Houston Zoo. After a two-year pregnancy and a short labor, the wait is over for mom Shanti who gave birth to a 305-pound female elephant on July 12. Welcome to Houston, baby Joy. All photos by Stephanie Adams, Houston Zoo.
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Shanti, an elephant at the Houston Zoo, gave birth to a 305-pound female on July 12. -
Baby elephant Joy began nursing within three hours after being born. -
Baby elephants are born wobbly, so the elephant team has placed a harness on baby Joy to help her stand while she is nursing. -
Shanti and her baby girl Joy spent the first few days bonding and getting post-natal exams from the veterinary staff. -
The veterinary team wants to make sure that baby Joy meets certain milestones, like communicating with her mom Shanti and hitting weight goals. -
Shanti had her baby in the McNair Asian Elephant Habitat cow barn, with veterinary staff in attendance. -
On Monday, July 17, six-day-old baby Joy stepped outside for her first day out. -
Baby elephant Joy joined the herd and was greeted by her family of elephants. -
Baby elephant Joy and her mom, Shanti, spent the morning exploring the McNair Asian Elephant Habitat. -
Visitors to the Houston Zoo have the best chance of catching a glimpse of baby elephant Joy during the morning hours. -
The Houston Zoo elephant team keeps a close eye on baby Joy during the mornings when she is with the herd. -
When guests visit the Houston Zoo, it helps save baby elephants and their families in the wild. -
A portion of each zoo admission and membership is dedicated to protecting an estimated 200-250 wild elephants in Asia. -
Since the Houston Zoo began working in Borneo ten years ago, the elephant population has doubled on the island of Borneo. -
The Houston Zoo provides funds for elephant conservationist Nurzhafarina “Farina” Othman and her team in Asia; they conduct research that aids in protecting the wild elephants as they travel through the forests. -
Farina and her team work with farmers that grow and produce palm oil, helping them understand practices that are wildlife-friendly.
