Endangered elephant calf born at Blackpool zoo

A rare elephant calf has been born at Blackpool zoo.

Tara the elephant, a first-time mum, gave birth to a healthy female named Zaiya on 2nd September.

Keepers at the zoo say years of strategic planning went into this moment, as it was such a rare event.

A quick response was needed when Zaiya had trouble feeding, with keepers giving her vital support so she could get the nutrition she needed to stay healthy.

A Blackpool Zoo spokesperson said "We are absolutely thrilled to announce that Tara gave birth to a healthy female calf at 10:30pm on Tuesday, 2nd September.

"The team has named her Zaiya, which is of Burmese origin and means strength.

"After years of strategic planning, preparations had been made in order to carefully manage and mitigate challenges that may arise during pregnancy, birth and the postnatal care surrounding such a rare event.

"This knowledge, along with the close positive relationships the team have with the herd, meant that when the baby was born and had difficulty suckling, they were able to act quickly.

"They provided vital support for the first-time mum, expressing milk from her to ensure the calf received the necessary colostrum that is essential to provide antibodies that are rich in nutrition to help to protect newborns. "

24-hour monitoring and support will be given to both elephants.

The indoor house has been closed to allow them privacy and enable the other elephants to develop bonds with baby Zaiya.

It's set to reopen on Saturday 27th September between 11.30am and 2.30pm.