A newborn elephant calf at Vienna’s Schönbrunn Zoo took her first steps, stumbling adorably as she tried to keep pace with her mother, Numbi.
The female calf, yet to be named, was born just hours earlier, making her debut a charming moment for zoo staff and onlookers.
The tiny calf was seen unsteadily navigating her way around the enclosure, learning to walk with her towering mother close by.
Standing at three feet tall and weighing 198 pounds (90 kg), the calf has already captured hearts with her early attempts to stay close to her mother.
“It’s a girl, and everything seems to be going well,” reported Zoo Director Dagmar Schratter. “This is the third calf for Numbi, who is an experienced and attentive mother.”
Staff monitored Numbi through the night, preparing for the calf’s arrival, which took place in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Though the calf won’t be available for public viewing immediately, Schratter shared that she is adapting well.
“The little one stays right by her mother, who is calm and very caring. The calf is also feeding well, which is a positive sign.”
Numbi, a 20-year-old elephant, originally came to Vienna in 2009 from South Africa’s Kruger National Park, accompanied by her first calf, Kibo. A second calf, Tulubu, was born the following year.
This latest addition was born as part of an international breeding program, with Numbi being inseminated using sperm from a wild elephant at South Africa’s Phinda Reserve.
Schönbrunn Zoo, the oldest zoo in the world, is located within the historic grounds of the Schoenbrunn Palace in Vienna, adding to the significance of this newborn’s first steps in such a storied setting.
