How tall is the baby? We think she is very precious.
- Matthew F.
Godfrey, Ill. She measured in at 41 inches the other day. How long is the baby girl's trunk at her first check-up?
- Savanah & Jeffrey
Granite City, Ill. We have not quite had the opportunity to measure her trunk length yet. She has a hard time standing still! How often does the baby get a bath?
- Kate K.
St. Louis, Mo. Daily - even unintentionally! She loves to run around and under mom when Ellie gets a bath. When is Rani due?
- Sarah S.
Chesterfield, Mo. Sometime early 2007. We'll keep you posted! Does the baby make any noise yet?
- Holly R.
New Lenox, Ill. She makes a grunting noise and what we like to refer to as a "nursing bellow" - similar to a very load roar. She's gorgeous. But I'm curious, does a baby elephant use its trunk or mouth to nurse?
- Nan
Ballwin, Mo. Her mouth! Congratulations on a beautiful, healthy baby girl elephant. What does the skin of a baby elephant feel like? Do baby elephant calves have "baby soft" skin even though it appears fairly wrinkled?
- Cynthia H.
Independence, Mo. Yes, her skin is very soft and "new." The little one is so cute. Does she love water like her dad did when he was little?
- Michelle J.
St. Louis, Mo. Yes! Loving water is something that comes naturally to baby elephants. How long does it take before an elephant baby is born?
- Nellie J.
Hazelwood, Mo. Female elephants are pregnant about 20 to 22 months before giving birth - the longest pregnancy of any land animal. How long was Ellie in labor? Is the bonding going well, with nursing and so on? The baby looks wonderful.
- Jim P.
St. Louis, Mo. Ellie gave no sign of labor until 11:39 p.m. on Tuesday evening. The baby was born soon thereafter - a few minutes past midnight. Bonding is going very well and the baby has figured out how to nurse, with Ellie's guidance. Very cute! Congratulations to you all. How long, typically, will a calf nurse? What type of solid diet will be next?
- Richard S.
Swansea, Ill. A calf will nurse for at least 18 months, and if given the chance, for several more years after that. Youngsters begin eating some grass at several months old; solid food becomes an increasing part of their diet as they become older. An adult diet consists of grasses, fruit, vegetables, bark, roots, leaves and stems. Did Ellie need help from the keepers during the birth, or did Ellie do it on her own?
- Emily W.
Florissant, Mo. Ellie didn't need any human help! She knew exactly what to do, and she did it with finesse. It was great to watch! Does a baby elephant come feet first or head first?
- Tim B.
O'Fallon, Mo. Feet first! Definately safer, don't you think? Congratulations! Thanks for taking such good care of Ellie and now her baby. Is Ellie doing okay? Do elephants need any type of numbing drugs to get through birth?
- Jane R.
Barnhart, Mo. Ellie is doing very well - thanks for asking! No epidural for Ellie. Visibal labor lasted less than half an hour. Has Raja seen the baby? What type of a role do the fathers take in raising of a baby elephant?
- Kelly M.
Troy, Ill. Raja has not seen the baby yet. Males usually do not participate in any parenting. In the wild, he would meet a female, breed her and then never see her again. What is the average size of a baby elephant at birth?
- Nick H.
Clarksville, Mo. Newborn elephants can be 250 to 350 pounds at birth. What a cute baby!! Just wondering how long it takes before the baby girl can walk??
- Leah
St. Louis, Mo. She was a little wobbly at first, but she was able to stand almost right away! Congratulations! We've been waiting with baited breath for Ellie to deliver - but were worried when it seemed to take longer than normal. Was the calf's gestation originally mis-calculated, or did this pregnancy just take longer, at the upper end of the typical norm for gestation? Thank you so much for all you do to help this marvelous species!
- Natasha and Christine
Dunellen, NJ She actually wasn't late at all! Elephant gestation can range from 612-699 days. Ellie gave birth on day 690! How do you burp a 341lb baby?
- Eric B.
Florissant, MO Very carefully? Thankfully we don't have to think about that here at the Zoo. Our baby doesn't need any burping! She is such a beautiful baby girl! Will she and her mother remain with us in St. Louis?
- Claire W.
Wildwood, Mo. Mother and daughter will most likely remain together and stay here in St. Louis, so we have many years to enjoy them both! Can you tell me if the fellow females tooted upon her arrival?
- Norma L.
St. Louis, Mo. The other females in the herd were nearby and could see the birth, as might happen in the wild. Everyone was excited. There was a lot of trumpeting and roaring! I love our new baby elephant! One question...is Ellie very protective when the handlers or other elephants get near the baby?
- Kelly A.
St. Louis, Mo. Ellie, like any mother, is very protective of her baby. Though she does trust the elephant keepers and other elephants, any small sound from the baby and Ellie comes running. Big sis Rani is also protective and is there whenever the baby calls out! Your baby is so cute! I hope you have the best of luck with her. She is a very beautiful baby, but I would like to know how big she will end of being and how much will she weigh?
- Haley S.
Marissa, Ill. Asian elephants can get up to 11 feet tall and weigh oever 10,000 pounds. But mom, Ellie, weighs about 7,500 pounds - so that might give us an indication of how big she might get! Was the birth video-taped? If so, will the public be able to view it?
- Angela K.
Bel-Nor, Mo. The birth happened so quickly, we weren't able to get any footage! Trust me, we really wanted to see it too. But we'll be putting video up on the website as fast as we can get it - so continue to check back and see any updates. When was Raja born?
- Jackie S.
St. Louis, Mo. December 27, 1992 How much weight did Ellie gain during pregnancy, and will she have any stubbon postpartum pounds to lose?
- Margaret H.
St. Louis, Mo. Ellie gained about 500 pounds - normally she weighs around 7,500 pounds. The baby was 341 pounds at birth, so Ellie is looking thinner already! What color are the baby's eyes? Congratulations baby elephant!
- Chloe C.
O'Fallon, Mo. They are brown! Does her fuzz go away when she gets older?
- Caroline and Margaret W.
Clayton, Mo. Nope - but she gets bigger so the fuzz tends to spread out a little bit more! Congratulations to Raja and Ellie! And all the adoptive parents that are now grandparents! I had read your post on preparing for the birth. How did the other cows help with moral support during the delivery?
- Becky F.
Dupo, Ill. The other females were there during the delivery - watching and providing moral support by just being there.
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