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The National Zoo’s Baby Elephant Made Her Public Debut On Earth Day

Today is a very big day at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington, D.C., where a two-month-old Asian elephant calf named Linh Mai is making her public debut for the first time since her birth, and the staff who have cared for her around the clock since February say she is already showing exactly the kind of spirited personality that captures everyone who meets her. Linh Mai, whose name means spirit blossom in Vietnamese, was born on February 2, 2026, weighing 308 pounds and already standing over three feet tall, to 12-year-old first-time mother Nhi Linh following a nearly 22-month pregnancy. The birth was the first elephant calf born at the National Zoo in almost 25 years, and because both her parents carry genes that are underrepresented in the zoo population worldwide, her arrival represents a meaningful boost for the genetic health of the entire species in human care. Asian elephants are listed as endangered, with fewer than 50,000 estimated to remain in the wild and that number continuing to decline.

Since her birth, the Elephant Community Center has been kept closed to allow Linh Mai time to bond with her herd in a quiet environment, with a team of keepers working round-the-clock shifts in what the elephant manager described as one of the most demanding but rewarding efforts of their careers. Two older females in the herd, known affectionately by staff as aunties, have been particularly attentive and are expected to play a central role in helping Linh Mai settle into herd life alongside her mother and grandmother. Zoo leaders chose Earth Day for the debut deliberately, noting that elephant calves are among the most powerful ambassadors for reminding the public why endangered species are worth protecting. Starting today, Linh Mai will also appear live on the zoo’s Elephant Cam so fans around the world can watch her play, explore, and grow.

Source: https://nationalzoo.si.edu/news/asian-elephant-calf-linh-mai-will-make-her-public-debut-april-22-smithsonians-national-zoo-and

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