Maureena Gives Birth

On May 1, 2009 we witnessed the birth of an elephant calf at the Dzanga Clearing in the Central African Republic. This was the first time in 19 years we had ever seen this event. After the birth there was much excitement with the other elephants coming to touch and smell the newborn. Within a half hour of being born the calf was standing and able to walk. One young bull elephant kept trying to mate with the new mother and what you see here is this male attempting to mate with Maureena and as he falls off her he steps on the newborn. The newborn did survive and we saw the calf the next day in the clearing. She was doing well and following her mother.