Miracle baby elephant meets his fans

Sydney - The elephant that experts said could not possibly be born alive tottered out to greet well-wishers at Sydney's Taronga Zoo on Sunday, a full three weeks ahead of schedule. Mr Shuffles, so nicknamed because of his awkward way of walking, was not expected to be strong enough to leave the heated birthing barn until next month.

But as with so much else, the death-defying 116-kilogram wonder baby defied veterinarians with his zest for life after surviving nine horrendous days of labor, during which he slipped into a coma and fooled keepers into thinking he was dead.

"He's just excited to be alive," elephant manager Gary Miller said. "He's looking around and seeing the world."

Because the calf was upside-down and back-to-front in mother Porntip's womb, experts said a stillbirth was inevitable and were not even present at the delivery that ended a 22-month pregnancy.

The calf not only survived but is thriving. Despite veterinarians' doubts about whether Mr Shuffles would see out the week after the traumatic birth on Wednesday, the plucky elephant has suckled from his Thai-born mum, put on weight, made a fleeting pop-star style appearance for fans and even had his first bath.

"The fact that he's as alert as he is, and responding to all the different stimulus - us, the sounds all around him - he's going to be a very bright little kid," Miller conceded. "He's not going to be dull at all, which was a concern in the beginning."

Vets had worried that the world's longest-ever recorded pregnancy for a land animal would result in brain damage.

"Because of his compromised position as he came out and was born, we didn't know if he had brain damage from lack of oxygen from such a prolonged birth," Miller told reporters. "I'd say he's going to be 100 per cent."

Taronga Zoo officials are confident that Mr Shuffles is going to survive, and they have invited people to joint a competition to select a moniker for the newborn.

Pathi Harn, Tay Wan, Ming Khwan, Nam Chok, Mongkon, Boon Thung or Chok Dee will be the new name for the zoo's never-say-die tot.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/313981,miracle-baby-elephant-meets-his-fans.html.