An ultrasound procedure has produced amazing images confirming that the pregnancy of Asian Elephant Dokkoon is progressing well.  Fifteen-year-old Dokkoon is the first-ever pregnant elephant at Melbourne Zoo.

International scientists who worked with Melbourne Zoo veterinarians and keepers to artificially inseminate Dokkoon in March have returned to perform an ultrasound that clearly shows the baby’s development.

Dr. Thomas Hildebrandt of the Berlin-based Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research says these 3-D images are the best he has seen of a developing elephant calf (you can see a still image above, check back soon for the video footage).

The Institute team works with zoos worldwide and is regarded as the world-leading experts in elephant reproductive biology, having carried out more than 20 successful elephant AI procedures.

She was artificially inseminated on March 27, with sperm donated by Bong Su, Melbourne Zoo’s long term resident Asian Elephant bull.  That first AI attempt was successful, so she is due to calf between December 2009 and January 2010.

Dokkoon is one of three young Asian Elephants that arrived in Melbourne in November 2006, as part of a joint initiative with Taronga Zoo to establish a regional conservation breeding program for this endangered species.  Taronga Zoo imported four females and a young bull at that time.

Melbourne Zoo’s bull Bong Su has proved to be a very fertile male, and his sperm was also used in another artificial insemination attempt in May at Taronga Zoo, also carried out by the Berlin Institute team working with Taronga’s veterinarians and keepers. Taronga Zoo has just announced that the May AI was successful, and that their matriarch Porntip is pregnant and due to calf in early 2010.   

Melbourne Zoo Veterinarian Dr. Michael Lynch, who has been co-ordinating the complex artificial insemination program with Dr. Hildebrandt, says this was the ideal time to capture the amazing ultrasound images:  ‘we have a window now, when the baby is clearly visible.  Up until now, the uterus has been lying at the edge of the pelvis.  After five months, as the baby gets bigger and heavier, the uterus gradually drops over the edge of the pelvis so the baby is no longer detectable by ultrasound.

‘We will continue to monitor Dokkoon’s pregnancy via fortnightly blood samples and hormone analysis.  Her levels of progesterone will continue to be high throughout the pregnancy, and a drop in those levels at the end of her 20-22 month pregnancy will indicate that the baby is going to be born within two to five days,’ Dr. Lynch explains.