Syracuse Zoo Welcomes New Baby Elephant

Yesterday was a very exciting day for the Rosamond Gifford Zoo of Syracuse! They announced that a baby boy elephant was welcomed into the world.

Keeping it under wraps for a few days, the calf was born January 15th and is the second calf born to Asian elephant Mali. The zoo said, Mali, is 21-years-old.

The calf weighed 267 pounds when born and measured about 3 feet tall, according to the zoo, and they want to keep the community apart of the process while the baby is being raised. They said they will post video updates on its social media platforms so the public can see his progress.

According to CNY Central, County Executive Ryan McMahon said it's a celebratory moment.

"Asian elephants are critically endangered in the wild, so it's a huge accomplishment to be able to breed them in human care" McMahon said.

The calf's birth also comes as the zoo works to expand it's Asian Elephant Preserve from 4.5 acres to 6 acres. The Rosamond Gifford Zoo is among 30 accredited zoos that are active participants in the Species Survival Plan for Asian elephants.