Mother Busarakham
encourages her calf to walk just hours after he was born.
Patcharapol Panrak
Bird, Nong Nooch Tropical Garden’s top breeding
elephant, added to his impressive total of offspring with the May Day
birth of his 39th calf.
Nong Nooch’s “tourist taxi” Busarakham gave birth to
the male elephant May 1 after a nearly two days of labor. She had first
mated with 35-year-old Bird in April 2010.
A crowd of photographers and park employees watched
as Busarakham, 35, went through the extended labor process and birth.
The crowd waited almost 10 hours for the calf to open its eyes and try
to get up, as the mother cleaned him up.
Nong Nooch Director Kampol Tansajja said being born
on May Day was a lucky sign. A naming ceremony will be held later.