Latest news from Tully Johns, elephant keeper
July 2009

Both Dokkoon and Kulab are doing really well. Dokkoon is now 16 months pregnant and Kulab is 8 months pregnant.

With 2 baby elephants on the way we have been keeping very busy babyproofing the elephant barn and our 3 paddocks as well as doing lots of exercise with both our pregnant girls daily to build their flexibility, strength, and help maintain a high level of fitness which is really important to give them the best chance of having a trouble free birth. It's certainly keeping us keepers fit too!

We had a visit from Thomas Hildebrandt, our reproductive specialist, this week and we got some good ultrasound images of the developing babies, particularly Kulab's who is now about the size of a guinea pig. Dokkoon's baby is around the size of a labrador! Both are growing really well which was great to see.

Dokkoon is noticably changing shape now and moving a bit differently and we're taking her on some extra long walks to keep her fit and mobile for the home stretch.

So all going well we are expecting Melbourne Zoo's first ever baby elephant around the Christmas/New year period this summer and Kulab's baby around August next year.

By the way, you can see the latest ultrasound and exercise videos here.