PATTAYA, Thailand – Nong Nooch Tropical Garden welcomed a new baby elephant last week, marking the second elephant birth at the garden this year. The mother, Pang Thapthim, a 22-year-old elephant with a knack for bowling, has previously given birth to two calves.
Remarkably, Pang Thapthim showed no signs of labour prior to giving birth, despite staff carefully monitoring and caring for her as she approached delivery. On Saturday, May 18, at 4:40 a.m., she quietly delivered a healthy female calf without making any noise. Staff were alerted by the female baby’s cries and quickly attended to find the newborn standing and vocalizing. Both mother and baby were checked and found to be in good health.
This swift birth follows closely on the heels of the previous one, with only 19 days between the arrivals of the two calves, marking the second consecutive month of welcoming a new member to the Nong Nooch Pattaya elephant camp. The new baby elephant has been named Pang Sapparot, meaning Pineapple.
To celebrate the birth, President of Nong Nooch Tropical Garden, Kampol Tansajja invited Phra Kru Kasem Kittisophon, the abbot of Wat Samakkhi Banphot Temple to conduct a blessing ceremony on May 26. The event featured a procession of dancers and 30 elephants adorned with garlands. Holy threads and powder were applied to their foreheads for good luck.
Nong Nooch Tropical Garden currently cares for 75 elephants, with a dedicated team of veterinarians and mahouts ensuring their well-being. The garden is proud to be the first in Thailand to receive a certification of good practice standards for elephant camps from the Department of Livestock Development and the National Bureau of Agricultural Commodity and Food Standards.
Editor’s note: Pang and Plai are prefix names, used in Thailand for female and male elephants respectively.
