Thursday, December 05, 2024 | Jumada al-akhirah 3, 1446 H
broken clouds
weather
OMAN
23°C / 23°C
EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

Critically endangered Sumatran elephant calf born in Indonesia

A female Sumatran elephant calf (Elephas Maximus Sumatranus), less than a day old and weighing 104 kg, plays near her mother, named Ngatini, at the Buluh Cina Nature Tourism Park in Kampar Regency, Riau Province, on November 4, 2024. (Photo by WAHYUDI / AFP)
A female Sumatran elephant calf (Elephas Maximus Sumatranus), less than a day old and weighing 104 kg, plays near her mother, named Ngatini, at the Buluh Cina Nature Tourism Park in Kampar Regency, Riau Province, on November 4, 2024. (Photo by WAHYUDI / AFP)
minus
plus

A critically endangered Sumatran elephant has been born in Indonesia, officials said Tuesday, another rare birth that has given renewed hope to conservation efforts.


Sumatran elephants are on the brink of extinction with only about 2,400-2,800 left in the world, according to the World Wide Fund for Nature.


The female calf was born Monday at the Buluh Cina nature tourism park in Riau Province on the western island of Sumatra, local conservation agency head Genman Suhefti Hasibuan told AFP.


The unnamed calf was born to a 24-year-old female named Ngatini and a 25-year-old bull named Robin, Genman added.


"The female calf weighs 104 kilograms (229 pounds)," Genman told AFP.


"The calf is healthy, lively, and actively looking for milk from the mother."


Two more critically endangered Sumatran elephants were born late last year in Way Kambas National Park on Sumatra island.


Indonesian officials hailed the births and said they showed conservation efforts were essential to prevent the protected species from extinction.


The elephant population is threatened by rampant poaching for their tusks, which are prized in the illegal wildlife trade.


The archipelago nation faces an ongoing battle against wildlife crime and several elephant poisoning cases have been reported in recent years.


Deforestation has reduced the critically endangered elephants' natural habitat and brought them into increasing conflict with humans. —AFP


SHARE ARTICLE
arrow up
home icon