Home / Environment / Blackpool Zoo Celebrates Rare Birth of Asian Elephant Calf Zaiya
Blackpool Zoo Celebrates Rare Birth of Asian Elephant Calf Zaiya
19 Oct
Summary
- One-month-old baby elephant Zaiya snuggles with mother Tara
- Footage captures "deep, protective bond" between mother and calf
- Zaiya's birth is a "truly historic moment" for the zoo
In a heartwarming display of maternal affection, CCTV cameras at Blackpool Zoo have captured the moment a one-month-old Asian elephant calf named Zaiya snuggled up to her mother, Tara, as they slept in the zoo's indoor enclosure.
The zoo, which is "thrilled" with Zaiya's "rare" birth on September 2nd, 2025, says the footage reflects the "deep, protective bond between a mother and her calf." Zaiya's arrival was a "truly historic moment" for the zoo, according to director Darren Webster, as she was the first successful female elephant birth at the facility.
The indoor enclosure was closed to the public for nearly a month to allow the herd to develop "crucial bonds" with the newborn calf. Asian elephants have been listed as endangered since 1986, with populations estimated to have declined by at least 50% over the last three generations.
