Swarna, who has never birthed a calf herself, is a natural at caring for Linh Mai, displaying the right balance of maternal care and independence, according to the museum. Linh Mai is now separated from her mother, with Swarna helping to raise her. Initially, Linh Mai was more focused on her keepers for bottles, but now she follows Swarna's lead and waits for her 'ok' to move forward, the zoo said. The zoo also described Linh Mai as 'full of life' and tons of fun despite being separated from her mother.
According to Daily Mail - Science & Tech, Joshua Plotnik, a psychology professor at City University's Hunter College, described that elephant mothers and families can sometimes reject a calf, especially if the mother is under stress or circumstances jeopardize herd safety. Plotnik noted that abandonment is very rare amongst Asian elephants. Elephants are highly intelligent and very social with some human-like personality traits, and research shows their emotional characteristics are similar to humans.
Elephant mothers and families can sometimes reject a calf, especially if the mother is under stress, or when circumstances jeopardize the safety of the rest of the herd.
Linh Mai has become a viral internet sensation on social media. Caring for Linh Mai, including round-the-clock feedings, has been exhausting but rewarding for the zoo team, the zoo said. Why Linh Mai's mother shunned her remains a mystery, and it is unclear whether Linh Mai will ever be reunited with her mother in the future or how long Swarna will continue in her caregiving role.
Initially, Linh Mai was more focused on us, her keepers, as the ones who gave her bottles. With Swarna taking an auntie role, that has changed and we're starting to see her follow Swarna's lead. Rather than running far ahead of Swarna as she did in the early days, Linh Mai now hangs back with her, waiting for the 'ok' to move forward. It's been really cool to see their relationship blossom and to watch them communicate with each other in this way.
Even though Linh Mai is not with her mother, Nhi Linh, she is full of life and tons of fun.
Caring for an elephant calf – including round-the-clock feedings – is one of the most exhausting experiences our team has ever been through. Equally, it has been incredibly rewarding and worth all the blood, sweat and tears to see her thrive.