Making her debut at the Houston Zoo on Monday, July 12, Joy the Asian elephant is the newest resident of this Texas menagerie. Gathering to see the five-day-old, 300-pound bouncing baby girl, crowds gathered excitedly to get a glimpse as she appeared in the enclosure. For the near future, the Asian elephant enclosure is sure to be a popular stop at the zoo which has more than 6,000 animals spanning 900 species.
Local News
It’s a Girl! Joy the Asian Elephant is the Newest Baby at the Houston Zoo
By |
Photo: Facebook/Houston Zoo
In an interview with KPRC Houston, elephant keeper Aaron Hallind said, “Everybody’s excited to see baby Joy.” Linda Lundgren, a Houston Zoo patron, said, “This is a real treat, to be able to bring my children and my grandchildren here and to be here on the day of Joy’s debut.” Lundgren has a passion for elephants, explaining, “They are very family-oriented. Elephants mourn. They love. They are emotional. They are totally all about family.”
Photo: Pixabay
According to Hallind, Lundgren is absolutely correct. “They say it takes a village to raise a child. It’s the same with the elephant. The whole elephant herd will actually watch over the baby and make sure that she’s doing great. If she gets a little upset, the whole herd comes running, making sure that she’s OK.” When zoo officials were asked when the best time to see Joy and her herd would be, they advised that she’ll start each day in there during normal zoo hours, but that won’t necessarily be the case in the afternoons. Visitors would do best to plan on attending early. For Houston Zoo hours of operation, please visit their website.
References:
