11.09 am, Friday September 03 2010

Melbourne's new elephant is a water baby

18:27 AEST Tue Feb 9 2010
VIEWS: 0
| FLOCKS: 0
| comments0 comments so far
Elephant at Melbourne Zoo
Melbourne Zoo's unnamed elephant calf, born three weeks ago, goes on public display on Wednesday.

She's a water baby!

Melbourne Zoo's still unnamed elephant calf, just three weeks old, loves the water.

The daughter of Dokkoon goes on public display on Wednesday for the first time and if Tuesday's media debut is anything to go by, the public will love her.

While Dokkoon and great aunt Mek Kapah cooled off in the pond at the elephant barn, the youngster was literally throwing herself around in the water.

Slapping her trunk, running wildly, losing her feet, fully submerging herself - having the time of her life.

When keepers brought out a bale of hay for the two older elephants, the calf ran full speed out of the water and started rolling in it.

Mum quickly grabbed what she could before her calf mixed the hay up with water and wet sand from the pond.

"It would be like someone rolling in your salad," curator Dan Maloney said.

Since coming into the world in at 110kg on January 16, the calf has been putting away 12 to 14 litres of milk a day and is now around 138kg.

"She's very confident, very self assured, very intrepid," Mr Maloney said.

The keepers have been introducing the baby to Mek Kapah since the birth and the bond between the two has grown quickly.

The baby would run between the two older elephants while playing in the water and getting under her mother for shade from the hot sun whenever she took a breather from her play.

At one stage, she had an itch on her backside and rubbed it up against one of Dokkoon's front legs.

The calf is just the second elephant born in Australia - the other being born at Taronga Zoo.

She will also have a playmate later this year with another of the zoo's Thai elephant, Kulab, due to give birth in August or September.

The calf will be on show for the public from Wednesday between the hours of 11am to noon and 2.30pm to 3.30pm (AEDT).

Zookeepers will put forward five or six Thai names for the new baby and leave it up to the public to decide.

 
SHARE:
MESSENGER
FACEBOOK
MORE
Blog on Spaces
Add to delicious
Add to Digg
Share on MySpace
?
Share, bookmark, and save your favourite ninemsn articles and features.  Learn more.

Most popular

 Smoking toddler kicks habitA two-year-old Indonesian boy who smoked about 40 cigarettes a day has kicked the habit after receiving intensive specialist care, a welfare official says.
 Mother 'had relationship with long-lost son'A US woman has been accused of having a secret two-year sexual relationship with her long-lost adult son.
 Trapped miner's wife, secret lover meet at vigilOne of the trapped Chilean miners is going to have some explaining to do after his wife ran into his mistress at the mine's entrance.
 Transformers extra critical after cable snapsAn extra from Transformers 3 is in a critical condition after a car accident during a stunt on the set of the upcoming action movie.
 Man bashed by six youths at stationA 38-year-old man was bashed by six youths on a train in Melbourne's east.
 Sydney man attacked by sharkA Sydney man has suffered severe cuts to his face and neck after being bitten by a shark while holidaying in the Solomon Islands.
 And then there were three: againThe nation will have to wait until Monday at the earliest before knowing whether it will have a Labor or coalition government.
 Coalition 'will honour $1b promise'Opposition finance spokesman Andrew Robb says the coalition stands by its $1 billion offer to build a new hospital in Hobart, despite independent Andrew Wilkie having sided with Labor.
 Stallone fan 'knocked out guard dog'A wanna-be action star claims he knocked out a guard dog while breaking into the property of the Sylvester Stallone.
 Woman breastfeeds orphaned calfAn Indian woman believes she is pleasing the gods by breastfeeding an orphaned calf.
Gabriela Cedillo is in a critical condition.Stunt accidentExtra critically injured on Transformers 3 movie shoot. Paris Hilton. (AAP)'Underpromoted'Paris Hilton accused of breaking contract over movie flop. Ardi Rizal has a cigarette. (Barcroft Pacific)Cold turkeySmoking Indonesian two-year-old Ardi Rizal kicks the habit. Yonni Barios.Miner's affairThe wife and girlfriend of a Chilean miner have met during a vigil. Animal rights groups are hunting this girl.Puppy hateBounty offered for Bosnian dog-throwing video girl. Kookaburra. (AAP)'Gay' awaySchool changes words to classic 'Kookaburra' song.
advertisement
Brown, Wilkie will see PM more than SwanBob Brown and Andrew Wilkie now have better access to the prime minister than Treasurer Wayne Swan, Liberal frontbencher Peter Dutton says.
You need the latest version of Flash Player.
Enjoy the most vivid content on the web
Watch video without extra features
Interact with applications on your favourite sites
Upgrade now

page complete
Other ninemsn businesses: iSelect RateCity
© 1997-2010 ninemsn Pty Ltd - All rights reserved