Overview
- The zoo expects the first-time mother to give birth between mid-January and early March 2026 after an 18–22 month gestation.
- Veterinarians report they are cautiously optimistic, tracking fetal health with hormone testing, ultrasounds and behavioral assessments.
- The calf’s sire is Spike, a 44-year-old bull at the zoo since 2018, who has sired calves elsewhere that did not survive.
- The pairing followed an Association of Zoos and Aquariums Species Survival Plan recommendation to strengthen genetic diversity among an endangered population with fewer than 50,000 in the wild.
- Staff are readying the enclosure for a newborn and have launched an Elephant Cam for public viewing, while noting that Nhi Linh’s mother, Trong Nhi, likely lost a concurrent pregnancy.