NEW DELHI: An Asian elephant at the Ayutthaya Elephant Palace & Royal Kraal in Thailand has given birth to twin baby elephants, one male and one female, an occurrence that caretakers are hailing as a miracle. Twin births among elephants are rare, and the birth of male-female twins is even rarer.
This historic birth marks the first instance of twin elephants being born in the province.According to a statement from the Thai government, this is only the third known occurrence of male-female twin elephants in the world.
The mother elephant, a 30-year-old named Chamchuri, gave birth to the twins on the night of June 7 at a camp in Ayutthaya, Thailand’s ancient capital and a popular tourist destination located 80 kilometers (50 miles) north of Bangkok. These twins are the fourth and fifth offspring of Chamchuri.
A week after their birth, Buddhist monks blessed the twins.
Elephants are considered a national symbol in Thailand, with deep historical and cultural ties. Thai kings historically rode elephants into battle, and the white elephant, a sacred symbol of royal power, was featured on the Thai flag until 1917.
Caretakers at the camp were initially expecting a single birth and were taken aback when a second calf was born 18 minutes after the first. Mahouts had to act quickly to ensure the safety of the newborns. The mother elephant, startled by the unexpected second birth, unintentionally posed a danger to her daughter.
Charin Somwang, one of the mahouts, intervened to protect the female calf and, in the process, broke his leg. He explained to Thailand’s Daily News newspaper that it is common for a mother elephant to step on and nudge her newborn to check its vitality. However, the second baby, the female, appeared too weak to withstand this treatment, necessitating immediate intervention.
The birth of these twin elephants not only adds to the population of this endangered species but also underscores the cultural and symbolic importance of elephants in Thailand.
This historic birth marks the first instance of twin elephants being born in the province.According to a statement from the Thai government, this is only the third known occurrence of male-female twin elephants in the world.
The mother elephant, a 30-year-old named Chamchuri, gave birth to the twins on the night of June 7 at a camp in Ayutthaya, Thailand’s ancient capital and a popular tourist destination located 80 kilometers (50 miles) north of Bangkok. These twins are the fourth and fifth offspring of Chamchuri.
A week after their birth, Buddhist monks blessed the twins.
Elephants are considered a national symbol in Thailand, with deep historical and cultural ties. Thai kings historically rode elephants into battle, and the white elephant, a sacred symbol of royal power, was featured on the Thai flag until 1917.
Caretakers at the camp were initially expecting a single birth and were taken aback when a second calf was born 18 minutes after the first. Mahouts had to act quickly to ensure the safety of the newborns. The mother elephant, startled by the unexpected second birth, unintentionally posed a danger to her daughter.
Charin Somwang, one of the mahouts, intervened to protect the female calf and, in the process, broke his leg. He explained to Thailand’s Daily News newspaper that it is common for a mother elephant to step on and nudge her newborn to check its vitality. However, the second baby, the female, appeared too weak to withstand this treatment, necessitating immediate intervention.
The birth of these twin elephants not only adds to the population of this endangered species but also underscores the cultural and symbolic importance of elephants in Thailand.
