Why in the news: Asian elephant calf Linh Mai made her public debut at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo, sparking attention around captive elephants. Bio bit: Elephas maximus is the sole living Asian elephant species, native to South and Southeast Asia.
A female Asian elephant named Linh Mai has been born at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo, marking the first calf in 25 years. Her mother, Nhi Linh, initially shows aggression, leading to her being bottle-fed and cared for by her aunt, Swarna. The zoo encourages viewers to watch her on the elephant cam.