Sweden marks birth of first male elephant

Published: Aug. 13, 2008 at 3:52 PM

BORAS, Sweden, Aug. 13 (UPI) -- An elephant at Sweden's Boras Zoo has given birth to the first male elephant to be born in the country.

Bo Kjellson, head of operations at Boras Zoo, said security camera footage shows the mother, Dudu, going into labor shortly before noon Monday -- weeks before her calf was due, The Local reported Wednesday.

"Of course we knew that Dudu was pregnant but had worked out that her due date was at the end of August," Kjellson said. "But it doesn't matter that it was a bit earlier than planned, everything went very well."

The new baby elephant's older sister, Kwanza, was the first elephant born in a Swedish zoo when Dudu gave birth to her in 2001.

Kjellson told The Local the mother and calf were resting Wednesday. He said a name for the baby will be chosen by its caretakers.

© 2008 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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