Two elephants are pregnant and are expected to give birth next year - but there will be only one father in the delivery rooms. Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in Ohio announced this week that for the first time in the zoo's history two elephants, Phoebe and Sunny, are pregnant at the same time – a glimmer of hope for the Asian elephant conservation.
"This is a very exciting time for us as these pregnancies provide us with the opportunity to care for a multigenerational herd, which is beneficial for the elephants and their social dynamics," said Adam Felts, senior curator of animal care and director of animal wellbeing.
He added the upcoming births help to ensure a genetically diverse and healthy population of elephants in North American zoos. Phoebe is already the mother of a 3-year-old calf Frankie and this is Sunny's first pregnancy, the zoo said. The gestation period is 22 months, the zoo said.
The zoo said Sabu, an elephant bull that was temporarily staying in Columbus, fathered both calves as part of a species survival plan. According to the International Elephant Foundation, roughly 40,000 - 50,000 Asian elephants remain in the world.
Drought-stricken Namibia recently announced a plan to reduce wildlife - including 83 elephants - as a way to cut down on human-wildlife conflict.
"With the severe drought situation in the country, conflicts are expected to increase if no interventions are made," officials said.
The Columbus Zoo's elephant herd currently consists of five elephants, the zoo said.
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