At the Zurich Zoo, in the Kaeng Krachan Elephant Park, last June 1st the 40-year-old elephant Indi gave birth to a male after a regular pregnancy without complications. The baby, the mother’s fifth child, came into the world at 12.25pm in a controlled and protected environment, with the presence of the family group and veterinarians.
Unfortunately, a few minutes after giving birth, the situation worsened when the vets realized that the cub was unable to support its weight on its hind legs and was unable to stand up, an anomalous condition for newborn elephants, which normally stand up in a short time.
The vets’ attempts and the worsening
The zoo team immediately initiated every possible intervention. The mother and young elephant were temporarily separated to allow for treatment. Indi was also sedated to facilitate medical operations. The puppy received intravenous fluids and thorough checks, while veterinarians constantly monitored the situation.
Despite the absence of obvious lesions, the child showed no improvement. The following hours confirmed a dead-end prognosis: the inability to stand up made normal and independent growth impossible.
The most difficult decision: euthanasia
Faced with an irreversible clinical picture, the staff made the decision to proceed with the euthanasia of the puppy. The mother Indi was able to get closer to the little one both before and after his death, in a last moment of contact. The zoo director expressed regret for an outcome that interrupts a conservation path already marked by other losses within the Asian elephant breeding program.
Only four cubs survived
The Asian elephant is classified as critically endangered, with approximately 50,000 remaining in the wild. The European Conservation Program (EEP) in which the zoo participates aims to maintain a reserve population, but births remain rare and delicate events. Since 2014, eight cubs have been born in the park, but only four have survived. Episodes like this remind us how captive breeding is still marked by a fragile balance.
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