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.
Mother Busarakham encourages her calf to walk just hours after he was born.
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.
