Melbourne Zoo has a gorgeous new baby girl elephant and her name is Mali, a Thai name meaning “Jasmine”.
She is a wonderful example of how zoos are contributing to animal conservation and preservation of species. And she’s a wonderful ambassador.
The Asian Elephant was once widespread throughout Asia. However, loss of habitat and poaching has forced remaining populations into heavily forested, inaccessible regions in south and South-East Asia. Countries in which the Asian Elephant may be found include Sri Lanka, Laos, Thailand, Myanmar (Burma), China, Malaysia, India, Indonesia (on the island of Sumatra) and Cambodia.
In the wild the Asian Elephant eats leaves, flowers, fruits, shrubs, grasses and roots. An adult elephant may eat up to 170kg of food, drink 90L of water, and produce up to 75kg of faeces per day.
A
t Melbourne Zoo the Asian Elephants are fed carrots, apples, bread, bamboo, hay, lucerne, and leaves.
Melburnians have fallen in love with our 100kg plus baby who grows by a few kilos every day!
Pamela Sutton-Legaud CFRE MBA 