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Sassy, indeed! The Smithsonian’s National Zoo is celebrating a major milestone with the arrival of its first elephant calf in over 25 years. Named Linh Mai (“spirit blossom” in Vietnamese), the newborn made her debut on Earth Day and is already winning people over with her playful and vocal personality.
While the public cannot get enough of precious Linh Mai, her mother hasn’t been as receptive, unfortunately. There have been some ups and downs with early mother-daughter bonding and feeding; still, the devoted and knowledgeable zookeepers planned for this potential outcome and have stepped in to smooth out the wrinkles in their relationship and ensure that the baby has everything she needs to thrive.
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Linh Mai’s Foster Family
According to this update by the National Zoo, it isn’t uncommon for mother elephants to reject their calves after birth. While it might seem surprising, Linh Mai’s slower bonding with her mom is something keepers are carefully managing—and it’s more complex than it looks. As a first-time mother, Nhi Linh is still adjusting, showing moments of interest in her calf but also signs of uncertainty and discomfort with close interaction.
Out of caution, Linh Mai was separated from her mother and other adult elephants by a protective barrier after some early signs of aggression. Instead of forcing the relationship, the care team is taking a gradual approach, allowing Linh Mai to safely interact with her family through controlled introductions.
Encouragingly, other members of the herd—especially more experienced females—are already stepping in. One elephant, Swarna, has shown gentle, attentive behavior toward Linh Mai, helping model the kind of social interactions the team hopes her mother will eventually adopt.
The hope was that Nhi Linh would nurse her calf, but for now, Linh Mai is on a carefully managed bottle-feeding schedule. She gets a specially designed formula every two hours, with amounts adjusted as she grows. Linh Mai was born at just a touch over 300 pounds, and at the last update, she’s successfully gained over 200 pounds more!
The goal is still for Linh Mai to be raised within her family group, but for now, patience is key. She’s building those bonds at her own pace while she’s raised by a village of experienced aunties and caring keepers.
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This story was originally published by Parade Pets on Apr 28, 2026, where it first appeared in the Pet News section. Add Parade Pets as a Preferred Source by clicking here.