African elephant calf born healthy at Beekse Bergen

Quietly and under the watchful eye of the other ladies of the group, African elephant Pina-Nessi gave birth to her first calf after a 22-month gestation. The young animal came into the world on Saturday morning, Nov. 4. It is a female. Mother and daughter are doing well.

Chief zookeeper Yvonne Vogels is overjoyed at this birth. "For 25 years we have been working very hard to make a fruitful contribution to the European management program of this wonderful species. It has not gone without a hitch in those years, so we as a team are absolutely over the moon that it has gone well!"

Earlier this year, it was festively announced that three African elephants were pregnant at Beekse Bergen. Pina-Nessi's sister Bongi is expecting a calf in early 2024. The calf of Punda, also the mother of Pina-Nessi and Bongi, is expected not much later.

Firstborn
The calf was named Mosi, meaning "first-born. Birds: "The delivery could not have gone better, it was really how we had hoped it would be. Not only the calf and Pina-Nessi are doing super well, but also the other elephants in the group are behaving exemplary. Now we will work hard to make sure that the little one grows up as well as possible and may the other two calves come into the world as prosperous as little Mosi."

In the wild, the African elephant faces many threats. The world's largest land animal is killed for its precious ivory. There is also human-animal conflict: elephant herds wreck farmers' crops, with dire consequences.

Contribution
Beekse Bergen contributes to protecting the African elephant in two ways through its European management program and through the support of Stichting Wildlife.

The management program ensures that a healthy reserve population is created of this species. Elephant bull Yambo came to Hilvarenbeek from Spain for the 2021 management program, and successfully. Birds: "Pina-Nessi was hugely impressed by the Spanish Casanova and soon the first mating took place."

More space
Through Stichting Wildlife, the conservation organization Save the Elephants supports the "Northern Corridors Project. Birds: "The Elephant Valley was built in Safaripark so that the stay can accommodate the herd in the future. And where the calves will be safe in the Elephant Valley in the future, we also want to contribute something to the safety for African elephants in Kenya! In the wild, African elephants are doing slightly better and better, but where Africa's population is growing and with it the habitat of elephants is becoming fragmented, elephants unfortunately continue to face threats."

The project will ensure that wildlife parks are connected by a corridor. Half of this amount will be raised with an adoption plan of the young elephants. Stichting Wildlife will supplement the rest of this amount with other initiatives.

Gestation of 22 months
An elephant's gestation period lasts an average of 22 months. "Since the end of the summer vacations, we have been checking Pina-Nessi's blood more often," Vogels says. "This is because it sometimes happens that the gestation period is shorter or longer. Based on the blood values, we could tell if the arrival of the calf was approaching."

An elephant has been born at Beekse Bergen once before. Exactly 7.5 years ago, mother Punda gave birth to daughter Madiba in May 2016, just under a year after her arrival in Safaripark. Madiba's birth was special: she is the first African elephant born in the Benelux.

To allow mother and daughter to recover in peace, they will be on limited view for the next few days. Starting Thursday, the public can visit the stable.

Want to know more about the elephant herd in Safaripark Beekse Bergen? Come here to know everything.

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