ELEPHANT CALF CELEBRATES 1ST BIRTHDAY AT WILD ANIMAL PARK

FEBRUARY 23, 2005

Rain didn’t stop keepers at the San Diego Zoo’s Wild Animal Park from celebrating the birthday of the first elephant calf to be born at this facility in 20 years. Vus’musi (vus-moo-see), whose name means “to build a family” in siSwati, was given an iced birthday cake with carrots and pine shavings, a favorite enrichment item that he loves to roll around in. Joining in the fun was his mother Ndlulamitsi (n-doo-lah-mitt-see) and the rest of the 8-member African elephant herd. Wild Animal Park guests who were not able to visit Wednesday will get a second opportunity to see Vus’musi get another birthday cake Saturday, February 26.

At birth, Vus’musi weighed in at approximately 230 pounds but has grown to a whopping 720 pounds. His diet still consists of mother’s milk, but also includes Bermuda grass and a specially designed pellet that contains all the nutrients herbivores need.

The calf was born six months after his mother’s arrival in San Diego from the Kingdom of Swaziland. The 15-year-old mother African elephant was brought with a group of six other elephants from Swaziland in August 2003. The group was originally scheduled to be culled in Swaziland because of elephant overpopulation.