washington d.c.After welcoming a very small and very special new resident, there’s something worth shouting about.

An Asian elephant baby was born early Monday morning at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo, officials announced, marking the rare birth of the zoo’s first elephant in nearly 25 years.

The 308-pound, 38.5-inch calf arrived at the zoo’s Elephant Trail exhibit at 1:15 a.m., where animal care and veterinary staff were on hand to monitor the birthing process and the newborn’s birth.

this cow calf Nhi Linh is a 12-year-old first-time mother who spent early morning hours with her mother, Nhi Linh, who developed a close bond under the watchful eye of keepers and veterinarians, zoo staff said.

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Shortly after her birth, staff at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington, D.C., hoisted an Asian elephant calf up with a rope and guided her to walk. (Smithsonian National Zoo via YouTube)

Zoo officials say this is a rare and gratifying milestone not only for the National Zoo but for Asian elephant conservation more broadly.

“After nearly 25 years of waiting, the birth of an Asian elephant calf fills us with deep joy,” said Brandi Smith, director of the John and Adrienne Mars Director of the National Zoo and Institute of Conservation Biology.

“As you see baby elephants and the heartwarming interactions with the herd, I hope you will be inspired to help save this endangered species. What we learn from Washington’s elephants will directly enhance our efforts to protect wild Asian elephants throughout Southeast Asia. I am incredibly proud of our team whose expertise has made this moment possible for Nhi Linh and all of us.”

The Smithsonian says there are fewer than 50,000 Asian elephants left in the wild, and every birth in human care represents a meaningful step toward protecting the species.

Asian elephants face growing threats from habitat loss, disease and human-elephant conflict, making successful live births increasingly important. For more than 50 years, the Smithsonian has been studying and protecting Asian elephants at national zoos and throughout their range.

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Smithsonian animal care and veterinary staff at the Smithsonian National Zoo care for an Asian elephant calf born Monday. (Roshan Patel, Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute)

The calf arrived 21 months into its pregnancy, the longest gestation period of any land animal, according to the Smithsonian Institution. Zoo officials said the birth was part of carefully planned breeding recommendations from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan, a nationwide program designed to maintain healthy, genetically diverse animal populations at zoos.

The calf’s mother, Nhi Linh, was born at Rotterdam Zoo in the Netherlands on August 10, 2013, and joined the National Zoo herd in November 2022. She is about 7.5 feet tall and weighs about 6,700 pounds, and her keepers describe her as energetic and “go-go-go.”

Smithsonian animal care and veterinary staff are caring for an Asian elephant calf born Monday. (Roshan Patel, Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute)

Proud dad Spike is a regular on the zoo’s elephant trails. Spike was born at Zoo Miami on July 2, 1981, and arrived at the National Zoo in 2018. According to staff, it is about 10 feet tall and weighs 13,000 pounds. It is one of the largest animals in the park and behaves calm and gentle among the herd.

Spike bred three elephant calves at other zoos, but none survived.

Photos released by the zoo show the newborn calf nestling next to Nhi Linh, Animal Care Team Nearby within hours of delivery. Officials said the health, social development and weather conditions of the calves will determine when visitors can see the calves in person.

For now, keepers are focused on giving mother and calf time to bond while closely monitoring the newborn’s progress. Updates will be shared via the Zoo’s website and social media accounts.

Smithsonian animal care and veterinary staff care for an Asian elephant calf born this week at the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington, D.C. (Roshan Patel, Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute)

Animal lovers can also take part in naming the newest arrivals. The Smithsonian’s National Zoo has opened a public naming vote, with donations of $5 counting as a vote and proceeds going to support Asian elephant care and conservation efforts.

Voting closes at noon on February 13, with results updated daily.

Name options include Linh Mai, meaning “spiritual flower”; Tảo Nhi, meaning “gentle and lovely”; Tú Anh, meaning “intelligent and wise”; and Tuyết, meaning “snow”, a nod to the winter storm that hit the Washington area shortly before the birth.

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Admission to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo is free, and no special admission is required to visit the Elephant Trail when it’s open. Zoo officials encourage visitors to check online for updates on when the calf will make its public debut.

The arrival of the baby elephant is seen as a once-in-a-lifetime moment as a new life takes its first wobbly steps.