Posted 6/6/2005 3:44:01 PM by Editor
News from Lisa Dreisch viewed 696 times
Monday, June 06, 2005 - Vienna, VA
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® Center for Elephant Conservation Announces Birth of Asian Elephant Calf
CEC Celebrates 10th Anniversary with Unprecedented 17th Elephant Birth
Vienna, VA (June 6, 2005) – The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® Center for Elephant Conservation (CEC) today announced the birth of a healthy 310 lb., female Asian elephant calf – an unprecedented seventeenth birth for the Ringling Bros. CEC. The 38-year-old mother, Mala, delivered the calf at 9:40 pm on April 21, 2005 after just 40 minutes of labor. The newborn is Mala’s sixth calf, and was fathered by Charlie, an Asian elephant sire at the CEC.
With fewer than 35,000 Asian elephants left on the planet, this birth represents Ringling Bros.’ commitment to the future preservation of this endangered species, one baby step at a time.
“We are especially proud that this latest addition to the Ringling Bros. Asian elephant family comes this year – the tenth anniversary of our Center for Elephant Conservation,” said Kenneth Feld, Chairman and Producer of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey. “With each elephant calf born into our care, Ringling Bros. celebrates a remarkable milestone that signifies a move closer towards saving this magnificent, yet highly endangered species.”
Ringling Bros. named the new elephant calf Aree (Ah-rē) which means “generosity” and “kindness” in the Thai language. The name was chosen because it provides our animal conservationists the opportunity to talk with children and families about the important role the Asian elephant played during the recent Southeast Asia tsunami. Not only were Asian elephants responsible for saving the lives of humans in the aftermath of the disaster, but they continue to play a critical role in the rebuilding of areas devastated by the tsunami.
With Aree’s birth, the Ringling Bros. Center for Elephant Conservation continues to build upon its record of being one of the most successful Asian elephant breeding programs outside of Southeast Asia, serving as home to the world’s largest and most genetically diverse Asian elephant population in the Western hemisphere.
“Being able to reproduce and provide life-long care to a species so close to extinction is a commitment we take very seriously at Ringling Bros.,” said Bruce Read, Ringling Bros.’ vice president of animal stewardship. “The CEC provides a home and environment where Asian elephants can flourish and thrive,
while those in the wild are struggling each day to survive as their land is disappearing as a result of human encroachment and development. The Ringling Bros. Asian elephant conservation program is evidence that it will take captive breeding programs such as ours to help hedge against the extinction of the Asian elephant.”
A team of expert veterinarians and elephant husbandry specialists will watch over and care for Aree as she grows and develops.
About the CEC: The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Center for Elephant Conservation was founded by Feld Entertainment, the parent company of Ringling Bros, to ensure that future generations have the opportunity to experience the now-endangered Asian elephant. Built in 1995, this 200-acre, state-of-the-art facility was designed for the reproduction, scientific study and retirement of the Asian elephant, enabling Ringling Bros. to share its elephant husbandry knowledge with the veterinary and conservation communities worldwide.
For more information on Aree’s birth and the Ringling Bros. Center for Elephant Conservation visit www.elephantcenter.com.
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