at 23:33 on March 10, 2010, EDT.
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS


In this photo released by Taronga Zoo, a young male Asian elephant calf born at 3:27 a.m. on Wednesday, March 10, 2010, is treated by zoo vets as his mother Porntip looks on at Taronga Zoo in Sydney, Australia. The calf, after being thought to be dead in the womb, was showing some early encouraging signs including attempting to suckle from its mother. (THE ASSOCIATED PRESS/Taronga Zoo, Ben Gibson)

SYDNEY, Australia - An elephant calf that was believed to have died during a nine-day labour is feeding itself and has earned the nickname "Mr. Shuffles" since learning to stand, Taronga Zoo officials said Thursday.

Keepers said Tuesday that the calf had died during the difficult labour, which started March 1. But a live calf was born early Wednesday to mother Porntip.

"Despite no vital signs of life for several days, we now have obviously a healthy little calf on the ground," Taronga Zoo director Cameron Kerr told reporters Thursday.

He said the calf had turned upside down during the traumatic labour and may have entered a coma, fooling zoo vets into thinking it had died. When it was born at 3:27 a.m. on Wednesday, zoo officials called it a miracle.

New mother Porntip, 18 years old and the matriarch of the zoo herd, is being very gentle with her newborn, which weighs a healthy 256 pounds (116 kilograms), Kerr said.

"This little calf has been through an incredibly tough time," he said. "There is no record anywhere else in the world ... of a labour that has gone this long. There is no recording of a calf being absolutely still for several days like this."

Despite his apparent good health, however, Mr. Shuffles is not out of the woods yet and keepers were maintaining an around-the-clock vigil.

Other members of Taronga's elephant herd have warmly accepted the calf, and even missed their breakfast on Thursday morning to greet him.

The calf and his mother are expected to remain in a warm elephant barn out of public sight for some time, Kerr said.

The calf is the second Asian elephant to be born at the Sydney zoo.


©The Canadian Press, 2010

Awwwww baby elephant. Hope he stays healthy. Poor mother elephant that's one hell of a long labour

I hope the newborn and his mom are okay too. I can't imagine being in labor for 9 days.

Awwwww! Hope that "lil" guy makes it okay!

Poor mama elephant! She's one tough mama. Hopefully that means "Mr. Shuffles" will be a strong fighter like his mama. He's already showing the tendency!

we need more stories like these. bless both mother and baby!!

luv4u said:

and it weighed 256 pounds!?!? i don't ever want to hear a woman complain about child birth again until they go through that!! labour isn't that damn hard!?!















JUST KIDDING!!!

slowly backingout of this thread now.
[Edited 3/10/10 22:26pm]

CHIC0 said:

^^^^^
Smart move.

awwwww so cute! 9 Days wow, glad little bambino is ok!

Mr. Shuffles

The Mum is called Porntip!

I love Taronga Zoo - One of Sydney’s best attractions - You need to visit at least twice a year, but never on a really hot day - it's unbearable!

Ottensen said:

It's a cute name, isn't it?

A 9 day labour!?

meow85 said: