First baby African elephant born at Disney’s Animal Kingdom in 7 years, park says

By Sarah Dewberry, CNN

(CNN) — Saturday marked a momentous occasion at Disney’s Animal Kingdom in Florida, where officials announced an African elephant calf was born at the park for the first time in seven years.

The baby girl named Corra weighed 218 pounds at birth and is bonding backstage with her mother, Nadirah, said Scott Terrell, the director of animal and science Operations for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Worldwide, in a blog post.

Disney said the birth of Corra, who is Nadirah’s first calf, is “extra special” since Nadirah was also born at Disney’s Animal Kingdom in 2005, making her the first second-generation calf at the park.

Nadirah became pregnant in early 2022 through natural breeding and received care from Disney’s animal care team for her entire 22-month pregnancy, park officials said.

Births of African elephants at Disney are planned through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Species Survival Plan, a program to help “ensure the responsible breeding of endangered animals in managed care,” according to the blog post.

African elephants can weigh up to six tons and are the largest land animals on Earth, according to the World Wildlife Fund.

Park officials said Nadirah had help and guidance from her sister Luna throughout the process.

Corra will soon meet her grandmother Donna, and her other aunt, Stella, Disney announced.

Baby and mom will spend several days bonding before joining the herd, and the park’s veterinary team will also monitor the pair to ensure they are nursing and gaining weight, the park said.

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