Linh Mai's mother, Nhi Linh, displayed aggression toward the newborn calf shortly after birth, forcing the zoo to separate them. According to the zoo, Swarna—another female elephant in the herd who has never birthed a calf herself—stepped in as a surrogate 'auntie' and is now helping to raise Linh Mai. The zoo described Swarna as displaying just the right balance of maternal care while giving the calf some independence.
Initially, Linh Mai was more focused on her keepers as the ones who provided her bottles, but that dynamic has shifted. According to the zoo, with Swarna taking an auntie role, the calf now follows Swarna's lead rather than running far ahead as she did in early days. The zoo noted it has been rewarding to watch their relationship blossom and see them communicate with each other. Despite being separated from her mother, Linh Mai is described as full of life and tons of fun.
Elephant mothers and families can sometimes reject a calf, especially if the mother is under stress, or when circumstances jeopardise the safety of the rest of the herd.
Elephant abandonment is very rare among Asian elephants, according to Joshua Plotnik, a psychology professor at City University's Hunter College. Plotnik described that 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. Why Linh Mai's mother shunned her remains a mystery, and it is unclear what specific stress or circumstances led to the aggression.
Caring for an elephant calf, including round-the-clock feedings, has been one of the most exhausting experiences the zoo team has ever been through, according to the zoo. The team also described it as incredibly rewarding and worth all the effort to see her thrive. How long Swarna will continue to care for Linh Mai as her auntie is unknown, as is whether Linh Mai will ever be reunited with her mother in the future.
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.
Since her birth two months ago, animal fans have flocked to social media to express concerns about Linh Mai's relationship with her mother.
Research has established that elephants' emotional characteristics are similar to those of humans, and they are highly intelligent and very social with some human-like personality traits. This scientific background helps explain the complex social dynamics observed in elephant herds, including maternal behaviors and surrogate caregiving roles.
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.
Why would the mom reject her????