85-kg baby Asian elephant born in SW China

After a 22-month-pregnancy, a 32-year-old Asian elephant delivered a healthy calf in a breeding and rescue center in southwest China's Yunnan Province.

According to center staff, the mother elephant, named Pingzai, gave birth to the female calf, weighing 85 kg and 94 cm in height, at 8:16 a.m., Saturday.

"The calf was able to stand on its own within 40 minutes of the delivery and was taken good care of by its mother," said Bao Mingwei from the center, adding that both of them are healthy and under observation.

In April 2018, Pingzai naturally mated with a male elephant in the center.

Since then, the experienced staff have coddled the elephant with extra care and helped her to deliver.

Since its establishment in 2008, the center has rescued more than 20 wild elephants, eleven of which are still receiving medical care in the center.

The center has delivered nine calves so far.

Asian elephants are under first-class state protection in China. There are about 300 Asian elephants, mostly in Yunnan.

Editor: John Li