Dutch zoo welcomes baby elephant on Liberation Day

Rotterdam Zoo welcomed a new baby Asian elephant to its herd. He was born in the early hours of Wednesday morning. It was the liberation day in the Netherlands. The baby male is the fiftheenth healthy elephant born at the zoo. The zoo said the calf was on its feet and searching for milk within a few minutes of its birth.

A baby elephant weighs an average of 80kg at birth and the gestation period takes around 22 to 24 months, the longest of any mammal. Rotterdam Zoo remains closed due to coronavirus restrictions in the Netherlands. However, animal lovers can follow the progress of the calf via the zoo's webcams.