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On Aug. 23, 2008, at 3:56 p.m., Rose-Tu gave birth to a male calf at the Oregon Zoo. Up until that moment, she had been the last elephant born at the zoo (Aug. 31, 1994).
Successfully bringing a baby elephant into the herd takes a tremendous, coordinated effort between zookeepers, the mother-to-be and the other female elephants, which serve as the baby’s “aunties.”
Elephant keepers and veterinarians prepared for Rose-Tu’s birth by keeping her active — both physically and mentally. Through daily exercise, a pregnant elephant can stay toned and healthy, which helps minimize the difficulty of labor. During Rose-Tu’s pregnancy, keepers monitored her weight closely.
In the Blood
Keepers receive much of their information from the elephant’s blood. Using weekly blood tests, they plot the females’ reproductive cycles so breeding can be carefully managed. Elephants cycle about every four months and can be in heat for up to four days.
Pregnancy can be confirmed about 16 weeks after mating by measuring hormone levels in the blood. If progesterone levels remain elevated for 16 weeks, the elephant is confirmed pregnant. If the elephant is not pregnant, she begins ovulating again, which is confirmed by progesterone levels close to zero.
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