9/5/2003: Mom and daughter elephants

We've had a lot of elephants but this is a particularly pleasant and calming shot. Mom is named Shanthi, baby Kandula. They live at the Smithsonians's National Zoological Park in Washington, DC.

Remember Indian 'phants have small ears, African 'phants have big ears.

UT..

Is there any backstory on this one? I seem to remeber a story about an elephant birth in the past few months, but I can't find it anywhere.

Dagney

I don't think so... the caption information didn't have anything much.

Thanks anyway!

Dagney

Can I just say aaaaawwwwww! How cute is this picture!!!

And as the tank slowly filled with water....

Is it just me, or does it look like they're drowning these elephants?

It looks to me like the dome part of the top of the head gets bigger proportionally in the mature elephant. Does this mean its brain grows relatively larger or is that padding? Usually in mammals the young ones have proportionally large heads relative to bodies which is one of those things that make us think all baby mammals are cute.

It looks like you're right. According to this link:<blockquote>Interestingly, the growth and development of the elephant's brain is similar to that of mans. Both the elephant and man are born with small brain masses. The mass of the new-born elephant's brain is 35% of that of the adult, while Mans is 26%. Thus, there is considerable growth and development as the calf grows up. As the mass of the brain increases, so does the learning ability of young elephants.</blockquote>Interestingly, our own brains are thought to be large in relation to our body as a result of our ancestors learning to walk upright. The opening in our pubic bone had to be smaller to in order to maintain our new center of gravity, and our babies had to be born with underdeveloped brains in order to fit through it. This, of course, freed the babies' brain to grow much larger than it was previously able to.

Completly unrelated, but I find it interesting, anyway.

Eh, Tony...Kandula is a boy.

C'mon, way too young for a sex change.

Unfortunately, trying to force babies with big heads through small holes is dangerous. This is why, through history, so many women have died during childbirth.

If AFP can't get this right what else do they get wrong?

I was born after 3 days of labor with a red eye and a lopsided head. No permanent damage but I'm glad I wasn't my mom and I'm glad I don't remember being born.

Just logged on, and you have made me Monday morning. Thank you. Luv the elephants.