An Asian elephant in central Thailand has given birth to a rare set of twins, a phenomenon caretakers have described as a miracle.
The mother, 36-year-old Chamchuri, was not expected to deliver twins. When she gave birth to a male calf last Friday, staff at the Ayutthaya Elephant Palace and Royal Kraal believed the delivery was complete.
While cleaning and assisting the first calf, they were surprised by a loud thud, indicating the birth of a second calf, a female. The unexpected birth caused Chamchuri to panic, and caretakers had to restrain her to protect the female calf. During the commotion, one caretaker was injured.
Dramatic footage on social media captured a group of caretakers, known locally as mahouts, frantically separating the female calf from her mother, with blood from the birth still visible on Chamchuri’s hind legs.
According to Save the Elephants, twins occur in only one percent of elephant births, and male-female pairs are even rarer.
“Once we pulled the second baby elephant out, away from the mother, the baby stood up. We were all cheering because it’s a miracle,” veterinarian Lardthongtare Meepan told the BBC.
“We’ve always wanted to see elephant twins but not everyone can see this because it doesn’t happen a lot,” said Meepan, who grew up at the elephant park and is a mother of twins herself.
Charin Somwang, a 31-year-old mahout, broke his leg while restraining the mother. “I was so happy, I couldn’t feel the pain,” he told the BBC, adding that he only felt the extent of his injuries when he was brought to the hospital.
“It’s normal for the new mother to try to kick or push the baby… I was afraid she might harm the smaller one, so I put myself forward to block the mother,” said Somwang, who has worked at the park for 15 years.
Elephants are considered sacred in Thailand, where a majority of the population is Buddhist. They are also a national symbol.
Since the birth, the Ayutthaya Elephant Palace and Royal Kraal has featured the twins in live streams on social media. Park visitors, including children, are allowed to see the twins after disinfecting their footwear and hands. A sign near the nursery reads: “Please don’t touch the elephant babies”.
The twins will be named seven days after birth in accordance with Thai custom. At 55 kg (121 lb), the female calf is slightly smaller than usual and uses a stool during feeding with her mother. Her brother is heavier at 60 kg.