Taronga Zoo Pak Boon's Calf

Me too. I keep a close eye on the website for news of Pak Boon. Did you read the recent post about her?

Source: Taronga Zoo Blog
Pak Boon Doing Well
Oct 28 2010 - 3:06pm
Pak Boon is going very well with her pregnancy. We are now at 652 days of gestation. An elephant’s pregnancy is the longest in the animal kingdom. We are watching her very closely as the birth draws nearer. She still takes part in daily exercise routines of walking and stretching which keeps her weight down and keeps her body in good condition which is important during the birth process. She has been spending a lot of time with Luk Chai taking in the afternoon sun while they pick at stray bits of grass that grow out under the fence line. Spending time with the calves is great preparation for when she has a calf of her own.
Elephant Keeper: Joel.
 
What date is she due on? I know it is in late October or early November but im not sure what the actual date is.
 
UrMumzAGoat said:
What date is she due on? I know it is in late October or early November but im not sure what the actual date is.
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The most specific they can predict is usually a ten day period (26th October-6th November). It is likely she will give birth before the 6th November so she really is due any day now.

Both Thong Dee and Kulab were announced as being due within the next 24hrs but due to the complications, nothing was announced when Porntip went into labour on the 1st March.
 
Axl said:
The most specific they can predict is usually a ten day period (26th October-6th November). It is likely she will give birth before the 6th November so she really is due any day now.

Both Thong Dee and Kulab were announced as being due within the next 24hrs but due to the complications, nothing was announced when Porntip went into labour on the 1st March.
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I predict a girl now
 
CGSwans said:
What, did you read Pak Boon's palm? Consult her horoscope?
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Elephants dont have hands, only feet. Im only basing my hypothesis on my own predictions that are not at all necessarily correct or proven. In other words, it is just a guess
 
UrMumzAGoat said:
Elephants dont have hands, only feet. Im only basing my hypothesis on my own predictions that are not at all necessarily correct or proven. In other words, it is just a guess
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Might have to cut him some slack CGSwans.

At least this one can spell!!!

Well, except for his/her name that is.
 
Steve Robinson said:
1.Might have to cut him some slack CGSwans.

2.At least this one can spell!!!

3.Well, except for his/her name that is.
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1. I think he was just trying to be funny (with emphasis on trying)

2. It helps when you are in the top English class

3. Once again, I will say that because Sim is currently unavailable to change my name, you and I will have to "put up with it" until he is able to do so (ie. when he gets back from a holiday trip of some sort, according to ZYBen)
 
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Just before I buggered off to bed I read Pak Boon had given birth.
A female calf, a true boon for the programme. Congrats, mate! :D
 
It's fantastic news. I predicted a girl too so we're both right UrMumzAGoat :D

It's great to see everything going so well for mother and calf :)

Congratulations to Pak Boon at everyone at Taronga Zoo
 
I have been checking for blogs on their website every day and seems she is growing up very quickly and starting to play with both toys and the two boys
 
 
Article on the calf's father, Gung, in the lead up to Pak Boon's impending birth this month:

Getting to know Gung

This will be Gung's fourth calf following the birth of sons Luk Chai (2009) and Sabai (2016) to Thong Dee and daughter Tukta (2010) to Pak Boon.

Gung's tusks have really grown since I last saw a photo of him.
 
Update:

Getting ready for a baby Elephant at Taronga Zoo Sydney

It’s all hands on deck at Taronga Zoo as keepers prepare for the birth of an Asian Elephant. Here’s keeper Tim on how Taronga’s staff—and the elephants—are getting ready for the big moment.

“We’re just a few days or possibly a few weeks out from expecting our fourth Elephant calf born here at Sydney. The mother is Pak Boon—she’s a second-time mum—the first was Tukta, born just over six and a half years ago. Asian elephants are endangered in the wild—less than 35,000 left in the forest of Asia—so having a really strong breeding program is important to sustain those numbers.

“The pregnancy of an elephant is between 21-21 months. Pak Boon’s last pregnancy was about 648 days — it’s the longest pregnancy in the animal kingdom.

“The calf will be about 90-120kg when it’s born, but Pak Boon weighs just over 3,700kg so it shouldn’t be too bad for her!

“At the moment we’re monitoring Pak Boon’s blood levels. We’re measuring all of her hormones to see where they’re at. When they reach a certain level, that’s when we’ll start staying overnight to assist her with that labour.

“The labour can last between an hour and up to several days, but it tends to happen in the middle of the night. Elephants have this amazing ability that if it does get a little bit too early in the morning, they can actually pause the pregnancy and start again the following night.

“During the birthing process, we’ll actually be staying here over night to help Pak Bon if there are any issues. We’ll also have a team of vets on standby, just in case anything does happen. We are expecting a healthy calf but on the other hand, if there is something wrong with the calf we want to be able to step in and make sure that Pak Boon knows that we can help her, get that calf into a safe position and help with any complications.

"Elephants have a very strong social group in the wild and in captivity. They all rely on each other. The other elephant’s will play a big role in helping to raise the calf and give Pak Boon some time off.

"The way we’re planning for this birth to go is to have all the girls together to help Pak Boon during the birth—we’re calling it a ‘herd birth’. The other adult female, Tang Mo, will be there. She’ll play the mid-wife role with Pak Boon. It’s quite similar in the wild, they all gather around the female that’s in labour, touching her, letting her know it’s OK, making a whole bunch of noises and generally trying to protect her and to let her know that things will be alright.

“I’m very excited. It’s a big moment for everyone! We do have a lot of experienced keepers here that know exactly what they’re doing so we have a lot of confidence in the team and how we’re going to respond. We all know it’s going to be a very big change to the elephants and to our team. These elephants are part of our families pretty much. That’s the way we love it and having a new little run running around will make it even more exciting.”
 
Update:

Elephant birth update: Taronga keepers at the ready for calf due within days

Keeper Johny updates us on the progress of our Asian Elephant Pak Boon who’s calf is due to be born any day now.

With Pak Boons due date fast approaching, the female elephant barn is abuzz with final preparations as the elephant team work tirelessly to ready the exhibit and facilities for the forthcoming birth.

Regular visitors to the zoo may have noticed some of the recent changes that have been made to the exhibit, such as the new pool fencing that has been installed to limit the calf’s access to deeper areas of the pool until it proves to be a confident swimmer.

Other less noticeable changes are occurring behind the scenes, including the baby proofing of the entire cow barn to ensure the calf doesn’t get into places it shouldn’t and the installation of new cameras so that the elephant team can monitor Pak Boon's progress when the time comes to give birth.

The elephant team are caring for Pak Boon and monitoring her behaviour as per normal. Regular blood draws, which are performed cooperatively, are how the staff are keeping track of Pak Boon's progesterone levels which will indicate when her body is ready to give birth.

Once her progesterone levels reach zero, the elephant team will begin monitoring Pak Boon 24 hours a day due to the fact that elephants typically give birth at night. When she eventually gives birth the elephant team will monitor her health that of the calf, with Taronga Zoo’s veterinary team on standby ready to assess the progress of the calf.

Pak Boon's first birth to Tukta was quick and uncomplicated so the elephant team are hoping for a similar scenario to play out with her current pregnancy. Until then, its business as normal for the elephants and their keepers with daily baths and play sessions taking place for zoo visitors to enjoy.
 
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