Asian elephant News

Look who’s learning to “elephant paddle!” Linh Mai, our 5-month-old Asian elephant calf, reached a major milestone this week: baby’s first swim!

Visitors can celebrate elephants during EleFest, a three-day festival at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute Aug. 7–9.

Early in Asian elephant calf Linh Mai’s life, her gut health needed a little help.

With the return of the Zoo’s Elephant Cam, a group of trained volunteers are helping chronicle the daily lives of Asian elephants.

In celebration of Earth Day, 2-month-old Asian elephant calf Linh Mai made her public debut this morning.

Asian elephant calf Linh Mai has come a long way since her first few weeks of life. Thanks to our dedicated staff and changes to her diet, our girl is growing big and strong!

Baby elephant Linh Mai recently hit a major milestone: she turned two months old!

In celebration of Earth Day, Asian elephant calf Linh Mai will make her public debut April 22.

Asian elephant calf Linh Mai is 5 weeks old! She continues to make progress in socializing with her herdmates.

Elephant care team members are working around the clock to foster bonding between calf Linh Mai and her herdmates.

The Zoo's 11-day-old Asian elephant calf received her name today: Linh Mai, Vietnamese for "spirit blossom."

Over the past 10 days, the elephant team has been working around the clock to care for the calf and build positive relationships among the herd.

For the first time in nearly 25 years, elephant care staff are celebrating the birth of an Asian elephant—an endangered species. 

For the first time in nearly 25 years, animal care staff are preparing for the highly anticipated birth of an Asian elephant calf.

Want to tell the Asian elephants apart? This guide will help you spot each of the seven residents of the herd.

Several inches of snowfall kept the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute closed to visitors, but the animals and their caretakers still had a good time!

The Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute community is mourning the loss of Kamala, beloved member of its Asian elephant herd and ambassador for her species.

How do you monitor disease in Asian elephants? By building their trust and teaching them to voluntarily participate in medical exams! Get a behind-the-scenes look at what goes into caring for our herd.

August is Asian Elephant Awareness Month, and we’re celebrating with stories and fun facts about this endearing—and critically endangered—species.

Our male Asian elephant, Spike, looks a little different. The 42-year-old bull recently underwent a routine tusk trim! Get the story from curator Tony Barthel.

They’re spunky, opinionated and enjoy splashing in a cool pool on a hot summer day. Who are these playful pachyderms? Our Asian elephants, Trong Nhi and Nhi Linh! Get to know their personalities and quirks from Elephant Trails keepers Rebecca Riley and Ashley Fortner.

Tune in to the ele-FUN! Watch our 9-year-old Asian elephant, Nhi Linh, play with a weeble-wobble enrichment toy.

Let’s get ready to rumble, trumpet and stomp! Asian elephants Trong Nhi and Nhi Linh recently made their debut at the Elephant Trails habitat.

Two new female Asian elephants, 19-year-old Trong Nhi (trong-nEE) and her daughter, 9-year-old Nhi Linh (nEE-lin), are now on public view at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (NZCBI) in Washington, D.C., having completed quarantine following their Nov. 7 arrival...

The Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute community is celebrating the arrival two female Asian elephants, 19-year-old Trong Nhi and her daughter, 9-year-old Nhi Linh, to Washington, D.C.