The newest resident of the Smithsonian’s National Zoo has been making headlines for weeks now – the Asian elephant calf who was just named Linh Mai a few weeks ago.
The new calf was the first to be born at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in over 20 years, and considering the Asian elephant is listed as an endangered species, this was a major deal for the zoo and its conservation efforts.
When is Linh Mai going to make her public debut?
The Asian elephant calf Linh Mai hasn’t even made her debut yet, and she’s already making headlines as one of the cutest new attractions at the National Zoo!
The Smithsonian’s National Zoo just formally announced that her public debut will officially take place on Earth Day, Wednesday, April 22nd.
This will be an opportunity for the zoo’s members to see the little one a week earlier, starting on April 15th, as part of a five-day member-exclusive viewing event.
That being said, if you are among the many of us who won’t be able to make it to the zoo during her debut, you can tune into the zoo’s Elephant Cam, which will be going live again for the first time in months on April 22nd as well!
Why is this Asian elephant calf such a big deal?
After breeding with Linh Mai’s father, Spike, her mother, Nhi Linh, was pregnant for nearly two years before she gave birth to Linh Mai on February 2nd, right here in the District at the National Zoo’s special Elephant Community Center.
She is so important because she is the first calf born at the National Zoo in almost 25 years and a testament to the global conservation effort to save the species.
Considering there are fewer than 50,000 Asian elephants left in the wild, every calf born under the care of conservationists is considered crucial.
