Elephant Keeper Blog

Hi there, my name is Steve and I first met Dokkoon, Kulab and Num oi in Thailand in 2005, and haven’t left their sides since.

My life since meeting these three elephants has been filled with amazing experiences and amazing people. I look forward to sharing more of this story with you all.

Below you can read the latest update, otherwise you can read posts in the archives or view video updates.

August 25th

Keeper Lucas shows us some of the physical changes that Kulab has experienced over the final stages of her pregnancy and how the baby will travel from it's current spot out into the big wide world

July 16th
What's this trunk thingy for?

What's this trunk thingy for? from Zoos Victoria on Vimeo.

Our baby elephant Mali is now 6 months old and has tripled her birth weight! Her keeper Erin tells us about her latest milestones and adventures. She also shares how Kulab is coping with the final stages of her pregnancy and how the keepers are feeling about being 2nd time parents.

May 6th
Mali Hanging with the herd!

Keeper Lucas updates us on Mali's progress. She is now spending most of her day with the whole female herd, especially her best friend Num Oi. One of her favorite activities is her morning shower- very cute!

February 9th
Baby's first swim!

Zookeeper Erin tells us more about the calf's unique personality and our (as yet un-named) baby girl shows us why she has captured so many hearts already

January 12
Dokkoon takes a morning swim to beat the heat.
Photos taken by elephant keeper, Erin

Latest news from elephant curator Jan Steele
January 12, 2010

Elephant reproduction specialist Thomas Hildebrandt has arrived from Germany and ultrasounds taken last week showed the calf was getting close to being in the right position for delivery. Recent blood tests have showed Dokkoon's progesterone levels have been falling so we were expecting her to give birth by last weekend.

However Elephants are one of the few mammals with the ability to delay giving birth if conditions are not right so the recent heat wave may have caused her to put things on hold. Given labour can last up to 52 hours for elephants it's a good thing she hasn't had to go through this in 40-plus temperatures.

Dokkoon has been very chilled out in the heat thanks to her relaxing hormones kicking in and to regular swims. The birth could still be delayed until the end of the month but my gut feeling is that it will be this week sometime. Fingers crossed!

Latest Video- 24th December, 2009

Elephant keeper Tully Johns updates us on how the keepers and Dokkoon are coping with the very last stage of her pregnancy. We've been waiting for 22 months for the calf to arrive but these past few weeks have definitely been the longest.