ONE MONTH OLD. After more than 20 months of pregnancy, Rose-Tu, a 30-year-old Asian elephant at the Oregon Zoo, gave birth at 4:29pm on Saturday, February 1. Named Tula-Tu, the female calf is nursing well, growing fast, and already has impressive trunk dexterity for her age. Pictured in the top photo is Tula standing beneath her mom. In the bottom photo, Tula meets Sung-Surin, known as Shine, in Forest Hall. (Photos/Michael Durham, courtesy of the Oregon Zoo)

TULA’S TRUNK DEXTERITY. Tula-Tu, born on Saturday, February 1, is seen in Forest Hall at the Oregon Zoo. Visitors who would like to see the Asian elephant calf may catch a glimpse of her indoors between 10:00am and 2:00pm. Capacity in Forest Hall is limited and the area may be closed at certain points if Rose-Tu and Tula-Tu need time to themselves. (Photo/Michael Durham, courtesy of the Oregon Zoo)

Baby Tula

Video courtesy of the Oregon Zoo

Baby Tula

Video courtesy of the Oregon Zoo

From The Asian Reporter, V35, #3 (March 3, 2025), pages 15 & 19.

After more than 20 months of pregnancy, Rose-Tu, a 30-year-old Asian elephant at the Oregon Zoo, gave birth at 4:29pm on Saturday, February 1. Zoo staff had already been on baby watch since January 29, when Rose-Tu’s progesterone levels dropped to near zero, indicating labor would likely begin soon. Rose experienced early labor throughout the day on February 1 and began showing signs of active labor a little after 3:00pm.

"This was one of the smoothest births I’ve ever seen," said Steve Lefave, who oversees the zoo’s elephant program. "Rose knew just what to do. She helped her baby up right away. The kid was standing on her own within 15 minutes and took her first steps soon after that."

"Rose is a fantastic mom," Lefave added. "She’s so gentle and protective."

Nearly two weeks after the birth, the female calf had a name — Tula-Tu — chosen by care staff to reflect both her individual character and her significance to the herd.

Tula means "balance" in Sanskrit, according to Lefave, and aptly describes the harmony and stability the new calf adds to the herd — not to mention her ability to stand on her own within minutes of being born. Keepers added the -Tu suffix in honor of the young elephant’s matrilineal ancestors: her mom, Rose-Tu, and grandmother, Me-Tu.

"Asian elephants live in matrilineal family groups, and each new member is so important — not just to the mom but to everyone in the herd," Lefave said.

Tula can also mean "weight," and at the two-week mark, keepers estimated she weighed about 210 pounds.

"Tula’s nursing well and growing fast," Lefave said. "Rose has been ‘eating for two’ for quite some time now, and when her baby was born, we increased her diet to support lactation. We’ve added some alfalfa to the menu recently, and she has been loving it."

Tula-Tu spent time with the oldest member of the elephant herd within a week of birth. Trumpeting was heard throughout Elephant Lands when Rose-Tu introduced her new calf to Sung-Surin, also known as Shine. At 42, Shine is the oldest member of the herd. The three elephants greeted one another, touched trunks, and shared a snack — hay for Rose-Tu and Shine, with a side of milk for the calf.

"Asian elephants live in family groups, and each new member is so important — not just to the mom but to everyone in the herd," said Lefave. "Shine will be an auntie and mentor to this baby."

Lefave explained that having a new calf in the family is exciting for the entire herd and every elephant will have a role to play in caring for Tula-Tu.

On Presidents’ Day, visitors to the zoo had an unexpected opportunity to see the new calf in Forest Hall. Ten days later, on a sunny Thursday afternoon, Tula-Tu spent some time outside with her mom.

"We waited until it was warm and dry enough for a calf Tula’s age to play outside," said Lefave. "Once the forecast was above 60 degrees, we opened the doors to the yard and she trotted right out after her mom."

Rose enjoyed some fresh bamboo while Tula explored an outdoor area behind the scenes at Elephant Lands, making rumbling sounds and even grasping some small branches with her trunk.

"Tula’s trunk dexterity is impressive for her age," Lefave said. "She’s definitely what I would call precocious."

It might be a while before Rose-Tu shows her calf the larger, public-facing outdoor spaces. As soon as the weather stays warm enough, though, zoo staff expects Tula-Tu to be romping around all over Elephant Lands. In the meantime, visitors can usually see Tula in Forest Hall between 10:00am and 2:00pm. Capacity in Forest Hall is limited and the area may be closed at certain points if Rose and Tula need time to themselves.

Since her birth on February 1, Tula-Tu has earned national attention, including on NBC’s "Today" show, which named her frontrunner for "cutest animal of 2025." Experts say interest in the baby elephant could spell good news for her wild counterparts. "The more exposure people have, the more likely they are to consider it important to conserve the spaces where the species live," said University of Michigan professor Stephanie Preston, who was quoted in a recent Forbes article.

Considered highly endangered in their range countries, Asian elephants are threatened by habitat loss, conflict with humans, and disease. It’s estimated that just 40,000 to 50,000 of them remain in fragmented populations from India to Borneo, and their home range overlaps with some of the most populous human areas on the planet — 20% of people worldwide live in or next to Asian elephant habitats.

The Oregon Zoo’s spring hours — 9:30am to 5:30pm daily — began on March 1. Through March 7, during Winter Discount Days, the zoo is offering zoo admission for $13.00 per person, which is about half the price of regular zoo admission. Timed-entry tickets should be purchased in advance online.

The Oregon Zoo is located at 4001 S.W. Canyon Road in Portland. To learn more, or to purchase tickets, visit <www.oregonzoo.org>.