Blackpool Zoo announces exciting news as two baby elephants due in late 2024

Blackpool Zoo has announced the exciting news it is expecting two baby elephant calves due to be born later this year.

Mother and daughter elephants, Noorjahan and Esha, are both pregnant with the hugely anticipated calves, which will be the first to be born at the zoo in its 52-year history.

With the Asian elephant listed as endangered as its numbers are in decline in the wild, the zoo says the exciting expectancy comes as a huge boost for everyone involved in the European Ex Situ Programme (EEP) for the management of this incredible species.  

Elephants have the longest gestation period of any mammal, and Asian elephants are pregnant for 18-22 months. Newborn Asian elephant calves weigh approximately 100kg and are able to stand and walk within their first hour of being born.

Adam Kenyon, Blackpool Zoo’s Section Head, said: “This announcement is a historic moment for Blackpool Zoo and it is testament to an incredible amount of work that has taken place over the last decade. 

“Elephant mothers are fiercely nurturing and protective and, together with the herd, teach their calves everything required for elephant life, including how to stand, swim and find food.

“Complex social matriarchal groups mean that the females in the herd help to care for the young of other elephants, which is vital for the development of calves.”

He continued: “We will be closely monitoring Noorjahan and Esha in the coming months and while all indications currently point to healthy pregnancies, there are inherent risks.

“Just like in humans, there may be unknown factors that can lead to complications during gestation and delivery. Miscarriage and stillbirth are not uncommon in the species as a whole.

“The development of birthing strategies and additional monitoring is a key component to understanding as much as possible about our expectant mothers.

“We look forward to keeping everyone up to date with their progress before hopefully welcoming two new additions to the herd later this year.”

Asian elephants have been listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List since 1986 and the population is estimated to have declined by at least 50 percent over the last three generations, which means that EEPs serve as a crucial lifeline for ensuring the survival of the species.

Adam added: “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.”

The journey towards this momentous announcement started over a decade ago, when the zoo first looked at where a new elephant facility could be created within the grounds to enable the team to provide the best possible care.

Two years later in 2016, plans were submitted to the local council and ground broke on what was to become Project Elephant Base Camp six months later.

In Autumn 2017 Kate the Asian elephant, who was one of the first animals to arrive at the zoo before it opened in 1972, moved into her new home.

Senior animal staff were in discussions with the Species Coordinator for the Asian elephant EEP to find a suitable group of female elephants and in late 2017, the zoo announced that a herd of four would join Kate from Twycross Zoo the following year.

Tara arrived in February, followed by Minbu in March and then Noorjahan and Esha in September. Just over a year later Emmett, the first male elephant ever to reside here at Blackpool Zoo, made the journey from ZSL Whipsnade Zoo to complete the herd.

Project Elephant underpins Blackpool Zoo’s ongoing commitment to the endangered Asian elephant.