The patter of not so tiny feet - pregnant Blackpool elephants have scans to check calves
Blackpool zoo is preparing for the arrival of eight not so tiny feet!
Two pregnant elephants have had ultrasound scans, similar to human ones, to check the progress of their calves.
They were conducted by world-renowned specialists Professor Dr Thomas Hildebrandt, Dr Frank Goritz and Dr Susanne Holtze, with the zoo’s veterinary and elephant keeper teams.
The good news is that the scans show both Noorjahan and Esha’s pregnancies are progressing well.
During the procedure, experts were looking for details like size, activity levels, location and heartbeat as well as the condition of the uterus and placenta.
The findings were promising with the calves being active, developing well in healthy uteruses and at the expected size.
Adam Kenyon, Section Head of the Elephants, is delighted with the calves’ progress. He said: "It was an incredible experience to witness the ultrasound scans and it was wonderful to welcome the team of experts all the way from Germany.
“Seeing them move on the screen was quite surreal and we were able to get some key information that we needed to confirm the pregnancies are developing as expected.
“It was the next significant milestone on our momentous journey to welcome two new babies into our Project Elephant Base Camp facility and one more step closer to having a multi-generational herd.”
The project is designed to stop the declining population of Asian elephants, which has fallen by at least half in the last three generations.
Adam continued: “By collaborating, sharing research and exchanging ideas, zoos play a crucial role in the global effort to protect and conserve these highly intelligent and complex animals.
“In addition, studies carried out in zoos can monitor elephant behaviour, physiology and reproductive biology more closely to provide valuable insights that can further inform conservation strategies.”
Project Elephant underpins Blackpool Zoo’s ongoing commitment to the endangered Asian elephant. It focuses on a multi-faceted approach to the continuous long-term management, breeding and welfare needs of the zoo’s elephants, with special focus on their physiological and psychological wellbeing.
Base Camp, which is Blackpool Zoo’s largest ever single investment, combines the UK’s largest indoor elephant house with several outdoor habitats, all of which were meticulously designed to support the complicated needs of Asian elephants.