Quick Take
- Linh Mai's first-time mother isn't the one keeping her safe, and the elephant stepping in to protect her is the last one you'd expect. See who's protecting Linh Mai →
- Her around-the-clock feeding schedule comes with a strange physical hazard that her care team has to constantly manage. Explore the feeding challenges →
- Her birth closes a 25-year gap, though it may also mean she won't stay at the National Zoo for long. Find out if she'll stay →
- The elephant who's become Linh Mai's closest companion has done this before, though under very different circumstances. Meet Linh Mai's surrogate aunt →
Born in the early hours of a chilly February morning and weighing 308 pounds, Linh Mai is the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute’s (NZCBI) first Asian elephant calf in almost a quarter century. And after three months, she is finally ready to make her public debut.
In an aptly timed celebration of Earth Day, Asian elephant calf Linh Mai will greet the public for the very first time on April 22, at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute. This institution has spent decades studying and advocating for one of the world’s most endangered species, the Asian elephant, which is just one reason why Linh Mai’s birth is so special.
The Birth and Naming of Linh Mai
A female Asian elephant calf, Linh Mai was born at 1:15 a.m. on February 2. She was born to 12-year-old mother Nhi Linh and 44-year-old father Spike after the pair bred in April 2024 following a breeding recommendation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan (SSP). Asian elephant pregnancies last 18 to 22 months on average; Nhi Linh’s pregnancy was 21 months.
Linh Mai is currently exploring both inside and outside her home, with the exhibit currently closed for her comfort.
© Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute – Original / License
Following her exciting birth, the Zoo invited the public to participate in naming her, through 10 days of public voting and $58,892.70 raised in support of the Zoo’s Asian elephant care and conservation program. The winning name was Linh Mai, which is Vietnamese for “spirit blossom.” And her name means more than that if we break it down: Linh means “spirit” or “soul,” and Mai refers to the apricot blossom, a flower associated with Tết, or the Lunar New Year occurring close to the time of her birth.
The Current Care Plan for Linh Mai
Raising an elephant calf isn’t easy, especially given the fact that Linh Mai’s mother is struggling to bond with her. The care team at the National Zoo is run by elephant manager Robbie Clark, and the experience has been described as among the most demanding stretches of his career.
“Our team is working very, very, very hard, long hours to make sure she has everything she needs to thrive,” Clark said in a press release to the media. “It’s one of the most exhausting things that I’ve ever had to do.”
Linh Mai’s birth involved around-the-clock care, according to her team.
© Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute – Original / License
This exhaustion is largely because Linh Mai runs on a never-ending schedule, drinking a special elephant-milk replacement and demanding her bottle every two hours, drinking the entire amount in only two to three minutes on average.
“A lot of people ask if we burp her, and no, we don’t,” Clark noted. “But she has such a grip on drinking her bottles now that she actually collapses the bottle to get as much milk as she can. We have to constantly break the seal.”
Linh Mai has been steadily gaining weight, though her weight gain has been slower than expected according to the Zoo’s updates. However, she receives daily bubble baths with elephant-safe soap; much like a toddler, bath time for an elephant calf is both practical and playful; she stays clean and enjoys herself the entire time.
Linh Mai’s Contagious Personality
Ask anyone on the elephant care team what Linh Mai is like, and they have nothing but positive things to say, even when she potentially frustrates them.
She’s reportedly already responding to her name, and she enjoys chasing after her caretakers. “She’s incredibly smart and curious,” Clark added. “She is rambunctious. She is sassy. She’s playful. She very much loves her bath time. It’s been truly rewarding to get to know her.”
This is Spike and Nhi-Linh while she was pregnant with Linh Mai.
©Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute – Original / License
She’s also vocal, prone to “rumbles and roars” when she wants attention, is hungry, or needs a nap, much like a human child. She’s also exploring the outdoors for the first time, and it’s become an increasingly regular part of her day, especially given how much she enjoys it. Linh Mai has also started exploring more of her space here at the Zoo, slowly moving beyond her indoor enclosure into the five acres of outdoor space that’s accessible to the public, allowing visitors to finally see her in person.
Despite such a beloved personality, Linh Mai is lacking a particular type of vital attention: her mother does not seem keen on bonding with her.
The Necessary Mother-Daughter Bond of Elephants
Nhi Linh, a first-time mother, did not immediately take to her calf, which has resulted in the care team working even harder to help both mother and child.
It’s obvious to the team that Nhi Linh has conflicted feelings about her calf. While she shows interest in Linh Mai and responds whenever she vocalizes, she does not appear comfortable with the interaction and proximity to her daughter. Sometimes, she shows her discomfort by displaying frustration and aggression towards her calf, which is something zookeepers are paying close attention to.
Linh Mai’s mother is resisting her calf, which is why the baby is spending time with an aunt-like member of the herd, pictured above.
©Roshan Patel, Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute – Original / License
Leaning on the herd’s social dynamics, Linh Mai’s care team has observed something important: fellow elephant Bozie, an experienced mother and the dominant female of their herd, has been stepping in to guide Linh Mai through any difficult interactions. If Nhi Linh acts up, Bozie shows her displeasure, intervening when it becomes necessary, and Nhi Linh then stops retaliating against her calf.
Keepers continue to make meaningful progress with Linh Mai’s herd integration, though some individuals show more curiosity and interest in Linh Mai than others. However, the goal of the Zoo remains the same despite these unexpected setbacks: Linh Mai is to be raised by her mother within a multigenerational herd.
It’s important to note that social bonds among Asian elephants are built over time, and that is incredibly clear when we take a closer look at Linh Mai’s current closest relationship.
The Important Role of Linh Mai’s Aunt
While a mother-daughter bond develops slowly, Linh Mai has found comfort in the Zoo’s 52-year-old female elephant, Swarna. And this isn’t the first time Swarna’s stepped in to care for an elephant calf; while she was at Calgary Zoo, Swarna stepped in to care for a baby just like Linh Mai, which is one reason why keepers were eager to introduce the pair.
Asian elephant calf Linh Mai explores the Elephant Community Center barn with “auntie” Swarna at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo.
©Brett Kuxhausen, Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute – Original / License
Keepers remain encouraged by the positive behaviors shown by other elephants toward Linh Mai, particularly her surrogate aunts, Swarna and Bozie. Given the matriarchal way that elephants interact, the care team hopes these females will play a pivotal role in helping Nhi Linh and the calf’s grandmother, Trong Nhi, accept Linh Mai into their herd.
What Linh Mai’s Birth Means for Her Species
Beyond her integration into the herd, Linh Mai’s birth is incredibly important. Because Nhi Linh and Spike’s genes are not well represented in zoos, their calf will actually help strengthen the genetic diversity of the Asian elephant population in North America, as well as around the world. Since the mid-20th century, Asian elephant populations have declined by over 50%, with current wild estimates ranging from 30,000 to 50,000 individuals.
The Smithsonian’s National Zoo has been a key player in both the protection and breeding of this endangered species. For more than 50 years, Smithsonian scientists at NZCBI have led research on elephant care and conservation in Washington, D.C., as well as Southeast Asia. The Zoo’s elephants are also a critical part of this work beyond reproduction, participating in studies that help scientists better understand Asian elephant behavior, reproduction, endocrinology, disease, genetics, and movement ecology.
Linh Mai’s current herd may not be her forever herd, though her birth is extremely important to her species.
Zoo director Brandie Smith stated the true impact of Linh Mai’s birth. “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. 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.”
Will Linh Mai Stay at the National Zoo?
Nhi Linh and Spike received their breeding recommendation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan, which is the same program that will ultimately determine Linh Mai’s long-term placement. The AZA’s SSP coordinates Asian elephant population management across accredited institutions, making recommendations based on their genetic health, herd compatibility, facility capacity, and conservation goals.
Smithsonian’s National Zoo will maintain its elephant breeding plan, even if Linh Mai is transported elsewhere.
This essentially means that Linh Mai’s future home will be determined by what’s best for the Asian elephant population as a whole, no matter how at home Linh Mai feels at the Smithsonian’s Zoo. Transfers are a common occurrence in the SSP system and are considered to be part of a routine conservation practice. For now, however, Linh Mai will remain in her herd, and the public will meet her so very soon.
Meet Linh Mai On April 22!
Since her birth, the Elephant Community Center at the Zoo has been closed to provide a quiet space for Linh Mai to bond with her herd and the elephant care team. However, when she makes her public debut in a few short days, she will also make her first appearance on the Elephant Cam, which means you’ll be able to see her wherever you may live.
Admission to the Zoo is free, though reservations are strongly encouraged, given the expected crowds for Linh Mai. Any and all funds raised from Linh Mai’s naming directly support the Zoo’s Asian elephant conservation program, and donations are always accepted. Regardless, the debut of Linh Mai is highly anticipated, so be sure to tune in on April 22!
