Bathing a baby is often a tender task—unless that baby happens to be a 400-pound Asian elephant calf.
Recently, the Oklahoma City Zoo shared adorable photos of their newest arrival, an unnamed elephant calf, as she experienced her first bath just three weeks after her birth.
Unlike the usual challenges of bathing a human infant, this event was filled with joy and playfulness.
Tara Henson from the Oklahoma City Zoo expressed her delight, telling KFOR.com, “If I could start my morning watching a baby elephant getting a bath or playing around, I absolutely would. I don’t know what to say if you’re not smiling when you see that baby elephant—you might not be human.”
The calf was born on December 22 at 1:35 p.m., weighing 332 pounds. She is the second daughter of Asha and Rex, joining her older sister Malee, who has already embraced her role as a big sister.
Laura Bottaro, the zoo’s animal curator, shared, “The baby is thriving and loves spending time with her sister. Malee is thrilled.”
Asian elephants, native to regions from India to Borneo, are listed as endangered, with only about 30,000 remaining in the wild.
Their numbers have declined by half in just three generations due to habitat loss, poaching, and human-wildlife conflict.
This calf’s joyful milestones at the zoo offer a reminder of the importance of protecting her species and ensuring a brighter future for these magnificent animals.
