Tiny female calf the first born in a century
JOHOR BARU: Johor Zoo has welcomed a female elephant calf, marking the first elephant birth in the zoo’s nearly 100-year history.
Born on Oct 24 to the pair of Takau and Raja, the calf arrived after a gestation period of nearly two years, making it a special milestone for the country’s oldest zoo, said state housing and local government committee chairman Datuk Mohd Jafni Md Shukor.
“The zoo’s family has grown. After 22 months of pregnancy, the little one has finally arrived,” he said here yesterday.
Elephants have one of the longest gestation periods in the animal kingdom, with pregnancies lasting about 22 months.
The extended pregnancy allows the calves to undergo substantial development before birth, particularly of their brains and nervous systems.
Mohd Jafni also expressed hope that the calf will grow up healthy and continue to delight visitors.
“Between Jan 1 and Oct 25 this year, the zoo has recorded a total of 513,284 visitors, which is a positive and encouraging figure to achieve,” he added.
The Bukit Permai assemblyman thanked the public for their continued support, adding that visitors would now have the opportunity to watch the young elephant grow.
Johor Zoo, which first opened its doors in 1928, is recognised as the oldest zoo in Malaysia.
It was established by Almarhum Sultan Sir Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Abu Bakar and was originally known as Kebun Binatang.
Over the decades, the zoo has become one of Johor’s main attractions, welcoming visitors who come to see its collection of animals and the birth of the female calf is a fitting addition as the zoo celebrates its centenary in 2028.
