Ringling Bros. Announces Birth Of 26th Asian Elephant Calf
IT'S A BOY!
VIENNA, Va., July 29, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Center for Elephant Conservation® proudly announces the birth of a healthy male Asian elephant. Our twenty-sixth calf, Mike, is named in honor of Feld Entertainment President and COO, Mike Shannon.
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130729/PH54086)
Mike was born at 9:32 p.m. on June 27, 2013, weighing 214 pounds at the Ringling Bros. Center for Elephant Conservation in central Florida.
Mike is the calf of Angelica and Romeo, both of whom were also born through the most successful Asian elephant breeding program in the Western Hemisphere. He is Angelica's first calf. Mike will grow up with his half-sister, Piper, and half-brother, Nate, both from his dad's side.
"It's always a thrill when an elephant is born," said Director of Animal Stewardship, Janice Aria. "And when we see a new mom take to her calf the way Angelica is taking to Mike -- always sticking close by and always touching him with her trunk -- it just makes you so thankful that you can be part of such a successful program and experience."
The team of veterinarians and elephant husbandry specialists who oversaw Mike's birth will also watch over and care for Mike as he grows and develops. Since the program's inception, it has seen unparalleled breeding success and remains one of the key components in Ringling Bros.' international conservation efforts.
About the Ringling Bros. Center for Elephant Conservation: Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Center for Elephant Conservation was established to ensure that future generations have the opportunity to experience the endangered Asian elephant species. Built in 1995, this 200-acre, state-of-the-art facility was designed for the reproduction, research and retirement of the Asian elephant, enabling Ringling Bros. to share its elephant husbandry knowledge with the veterinary and conservation communities worldwide.
For more information about the Ringling Bros. Center for Elephant Conservation visit www.elephantcenter.com
SOURCE Ringling Bros. Center for Elephant Conservation
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