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Elephant calf debuts at Sydney zoo

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SYDNEY, July 5 (UPI) -- A newborn elephant calf made a short-lived appearance at the Taronga Zoo in Sydney tucked between its mother's legs, a zoo representative says.

Zoo representative Mark Williams said the calf, which has not been named yet, appeared shy and tentative when it recently made a public appearance at the Australian tourist site, The Sydney Morning Herald reported in its Monday edition.

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"The keepers walked out first to show the elephant's mother, Thong Dee, it was all good and she came out a little way with the calf tucked in under her feet," Williams said.

"She thought about a bit more of a stroll but in the end just went back inside."

Williams told the Morning Herald the first elephant born in Australia has been accepted by the rest of its herd, a crucial accomplishment in the elephant world.

"Elephants operate in a social structure, so the level of attention and affection from the other elephants is crucial to the success of the breeding program," the zoo official said.

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