Sumatran Elephant Lisa Gives Birth to Healthy Male Calf
- 29 Sep 2026 18:40 WIB
- Voice of Indonesia
Key Points
- Lisa, a 45-year-old trained Sumatran elephant, gave birth to a healthy male calf at Tesso Nilo National Park in Riau.
- The 129-kilogram calf stood just 20 minutes after birth and remains under 24-hour monitoring with its mother.
RRI.CO.ID, Riau - Conservation efforts for the endangered Sumatran elephant (Elephas maximus sumatranus) received a major boost following the successful birth of a healthy male calf in Riau Province.
Lisa, a 45-year-old trained elephant, gave birth at the Elephant Flying Squad (EFS) Camp in the Lubuk Kembang Bunga Section of Tesso Nilo National Park (TNTN), Pelalawan Regency, on Monday evening, September 28. The birth marks Lisa's sixth calf and represents a critical victory for ongoing species recovery programs, Ministry's official website reported.
The newborn is the result of natural breeding between Lisa and a wild male elephant roaming the national park, highlighting healthy reproductive interactions between captive and wild elephant populations in the region.
Field teams comprising elephant handlers (mahout), veterinarians, and wildlife carers initiated round-the-clock medical monitoring on Sunday, September 27, after noticing key clinical signs of impending labor, including mammary gland swelling and heightened restlessness.
The birth process took place at 700 p.m. local time. Lisa successfully gave birth to a male calf independently and safely at the TNTN EFS Camp area.
Demonstrating strong physical reflexes, the newborn stood independently just 20 minutes after delivery. Initial medical examinations and morphometric measurements confirmed that the calf weighs approximately 129 kilograms, with a shoulder height of 96 centimeters, a body length of 101 centimeters, a chest girth of 125 centimeters, and a stable body temperature of 36°C.
Wildlife medical personnel and mahouts are maintaining 24-hour surveillance to ensure proper maternal nursing and monitor the health of both mother and calf. Tesso Nilo National Park management commended the field teams for their dedication, expressing hope that the birth will bolster public awareness regarding the vital importance of preserving natural Sumatran elephant habitats. ***
News Recomendation
Loading latest news.....