Nov. 24 (UPI) -- The Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington announced Monday that Asian elephant Nhi Linh is pregnant, adding the zoo is "cautiously optimistic" its first elephant calf in 25 years will be delivered by spring.
Nhi Linh, 12, was bred with Spike, a 44-year-old male elephant, in April 2024. This is her first pregnancy. Spike has sired several calves, but none have survived.
The gestation period for an Asian elephant is between 18 and 22 months, which puts the baby elephant's arrival sometime between January and March.
"We've been keeping a not-so-little secret: one of the National Zoo's elephants is pregnant," the zoo announced Monday in a post on Instagram. "First-time mom Nhi Linh is expecting a calf in the New Year."
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