An Asian elephant in Thailand brought to life “miracle” twins at the end of last week. Twins are unusual among elephants, especially fraternal boy/girl twins like these babies. The mother elephant called Jumjuree initially attempted to kick away the 2nd infant, possibly not recognizing it was likewise hers.
In the wild, these infants likely would not make it. “The survival of twins […] is unusual as typically the mothers don’t have sufficient milk to support two calves,” Save the Elephants said in a press release after the 2022 birth of wild elephant twins in Kenya’s Samburu National Reserve.
This newest set of twins cope with their mom at the Ayutthaya Elephant Palace and Royal Kraal in Thailand. Nonprofit organization Elephantstay shared the birth on social networks, calling the infants “wonders of nature.”
The birth wasn’t without some drama, however. Phys.org reports the male twin was born first, and when the female twin was born, “the mother went into a frenzy and attacked her brand-new arrival.” A staff member jumped in to save the newborn, and the mommy elephant wound up kicking him while doing so.
The good news is, no human beings or animals were seriously hurt in the ordeal, and the mother has now accepted both babies. Staff members assist the tiny twins reach their mother to nurse, and personnel are supplementing mom’s milk with pumped milk to guarantee both calves get enough.
Rare elephant twins were born recently in Thailand. The birth was a bit remarkable, with the mom at first declining one of her infants.