Baby elephant at National Zoo will make public debut on Earth Day

The Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute is celebrating Earth Day with flair this year.

Asian elephant calf Linh Mai will make her public debut at the zoo on April 22, appearing before visitors at the Elephant Community Center and on the zoo’s Elephant Cam for the first time ever.

“We are so excited to introduce Linh Mai to our members and the public,” Brandie Smith, the John and Adrienne Mars Director of the National Zoo, said in a statement.

“As the first elephant born here in nearly 25 years, her birth was historic, not only for our Zoo family but also for this critically endangered species,” Smith’s statement continued. “I can’t wait for visitors to see her, learn about our work to protect elephants here and across Southeast Asia, and feel inspired to help save them in the wild.”

Linh Mai was born on Feb. 2, meaning she will be nearly three months old by the date of her public debut.

After she was born, the Elephant Community Center was closed so that baby Linh Mai could bond with her herd and the elephant care team, the zoo said.

Social bonding is very important to Asian elephants, a species the zoo describes as “an intelligent, sensitive and social species.” After some initial aggression towards her calf, mom Nhi Linh has had some positive interactions with Linh Mai, facilitated by zookeepers.

Elephant “aunties” Swarna and Bozie have shown many positive behaviors toward baby Linh Mai, zookeepers say, which shows promise for continued herd bonding.

Now that the herd bonding is underway, the Elephant Community Center will reopen for Linh Mai’s debut. Entrance to the zoo is free, but the zoo recommends that non-members reserve free entry passes ahead of time, due to the expected popularity of the event.

Zoo members can get a sneak peek at baby Linh Mai, from April 15 to 19 from 10 a.m. to 2:05 p.m. The elephant calf will need a chance to “acclimate to the sights, sounds and smells of crowds,” the zoo said, and zoo members are the only ones who can get tickets to the early viewing opportunity that helps Linh Mai prepare.

Anyone unable to visit the zoo for Linh Mai’s debut can watch the herd via the zoo Elephant Cam here.