Meet Linh Mai
Linh Mai, the Zoo’s newest Asian elephant calf, is now on view. Watch her explore, follow her growth, and see her alongside the herd at Elephant Trails.
Follow her journey with the latest updates, photos, and live views from the Elephant Cam.
What's New with Linh Mai?
After nearly two years of pregnancy, mother Nhi Linh gave birth to Linh Mai on Feb. 2, making her the first calf to arrive at the National Zoo in nearly 25 years. With fewer than 50,000 Asian elephants in the wild, every birth is a symbol of hope and a reminder that protecting elephants starts with all of us.
As Linh Mai learns and grows, the animal care, nutrition and vet teams will continue to share updates on her health and social bonds within the herd.
In her early days, Linh Mai experienced weight loss and diarrhea linked to the formula she was drinking. As the team explains in the latest update, the medicine that did the trick was an unconventional one: poop from a healthy baby elephant.
EleFest
Join the Zoo to celebrate Linh Mai and the whole Asian elephant herd with a three-day festival packed with culture, conservation and community.
Video Series: Have You Herd?
Support Elephant Care and Conservation
Your support helps fuel Smithsonian care, research and science programs that span from the Zoo in Washington, D.C. to the forests of Southeast Asia.
Meet the Family
Parents Nhi Linh and Spike received a breeding recommendation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan. Nhi Linh is a first-time mother and has displayed conflicted feelings about her calf. In the meantime, "Auntie" Swarna has stepped in as a guardian.
Nhi Linh
Age: 12 (Born Aug. 10, 2013 at Rotterdam Zoo)
Arrived at the National Zoo: Nov. 7, 2022
Personality: Energetic and "go with the flow"
Role: Mother
Spike
Age: 44 (born July 2, 1981 at Zoo Miami)
Arrived at the National Zoo: March 13, 2018
Personality: A calm gentleman
Role: Father
Swarna
Age: 51 (born ~1975 in the wild, rescued at Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage in Sri Lanka)
Arrived at the National Zoo: May 2014
Personality: Quiet and easy-going
Role: "Auntie" for Linh Mai
Advancing Elephant Science
Over the past century, Asian elephant populations have declined due to habitat loss and conflict. Through science, collaboration and care, we’re helping these animals survive and thrive in the wild and in human care.
Wildlife tracking
We map how elephants move through the forests of Laos and Myanmar, providing data that can reduce human-elephant conflict.
Health research
We help other zoos diagnose and treat Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpesvirus (EEHV), a serious disease that puts young elephants at risk.
Reproductive studies
Our scientists study hormones and genetics to make sure babies are delivered safely and healthy herds can continue to grow.
Training
We're giving our overseas partners the guidance and training they need to better conserve Asian elephants in their native habitat.
Questions? We've got a TON of answers.
There are no special passes needed. All visitors can just go to Elephant Trails, the Zoo’s Asian elephant habitat.
No. The Elephant Community Center opens to the public every day at 9 a.m., which is usually the best place to spot her, but she might be outside or behind the scenes.
For the welfare of our animals, we give each animal the choice to spend time in quieter areas away from zoo visitors. Sometimes, Linh Mai might be in one of these spaces.
You can always check the Zoo's Elephant Cam, which focuses on Linh Mai for several hours every day.
Keepers “baby-proof” Elephant Trails by adjusting barriers, adding sand for soft footing, and creating quiet, secluded spaces for resting.
Shortly after her birth, Linh Mai’s mother, Nhi Linh, acted aggressively towards her, signaling to our keeper team that she was not ready to be a mother. The keeper team is working to promote positive interactions between mother and daughter. In the meantime, “auntie” elephants like Swarna have stepped up to raise Linh Mai. None of those elephants produce milk, so Zoo nutritionists developed a bottle formula to help feed the baby.