The Oregon Zoo's elephant births - starting with the birth of Packy in 1962 - have played a key role in establishing what is known about elephant gestation. With a 22-month gestation period - the longest of any animal - arriving "a little early" can mean several weeks. "The elephant's joints get sloppy, everything loosens up and the top of the tail gets swollen."ĭespite the various clues, predicting an elephant's due date is something of a mysterious art. "Rose-Tu will release another hormone called relaxin, which humans also produce," Finnegan said. Once a precipitous drop is detected, the calf is likely due in one to three days. Toward the end of the pregnancy, they'll monitor daily. Staff members monitor Rose-Tu's progesterone levels once a week. "If the calf is too weak for that initial nursing, we can administer plasma to provide those antibodies." "When a calf is born, it gets a lot of antibodies from nursing on colostrum, the earliest milk produced by the mother," Finnegan said. Plasma will be extracted from that blood and banked as an insurance policy - one that proved critical following the birth of Rose-Tu's first calf, Samudra, in 2008. In early September, keepers drew blood from the calf's father, Tusko. ![]() ![]() ![]() "But later it becomes so large that it looks kind of like a fog bank rolling in and out of view - very big and nondescript."īy the last third of pregnancy, the calf's movements can be seen and sometimes felt through Rose-Tu's belly. "We can see the baby toward the beginning of the pregnancy with specialized ultrasound equipment," Finnegan said. Unlike humans, fetal elephants can't be regularly monitored through ultrasound. "Daily exercise will help her develop the muscle tone required to deliver a 250-pound baby," Finnegan said.Ĭurator Bob Lee and staff will carefully monitor Rose-Tu's diet to keep her weight - and the baby's weight - in check. Finnegan, the key to a successful elephant calf delivery is a physically fit mother giving birth under familiar, stress-free conditions. "They're also sensitive to distractions, which can complicate the delivery process."Īccording to Dr. "Elephants can be difficult obstetrical patients due to their extreme size," said Mitch Finnegan, the zoo's senior veterinarian. Zoo staff worried that the low-frequency rumble of grinders and pavers might distress Rose-Tu during the critical final stage of her pregnancy. Last spring, the Oregon Department of Transportation agreed to halt a repaving project on Highway 26 from November to February. Until then, zoo staff will work to create the most peaceful environment possible for her during the two-month window in which she might give birth. Humboldt Fog Cheese is named for the way it reminds one, reputedly, of morning fog in northern California.Rose-Tu will keep an active schedule right to the very end of her 22-month gestation. Humboldt Fog was awarded first prize in 2002 by the American Cheese Society in Washington for “American Original Cheese.” Language Notes Humboldt Fog Cheese was created in approximately 1992 by Mary Keehn. As the larger size ages past 2 months the cheese will start to ooze under the rind, and the flavour gets stronger. The small sizes are allowed to mature 3 weeks the larger ones for a minimum of 4 weeks.
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