The Sedgwick County Zoo has announced that 29-year-old African elephant Simunye has delivered a stillborn calf following a healthy, full-term pregnancy. The Zoo community, staff, and elephant herd are mourning this loss, which would have marked the first elephant born at the zoo in its 54-year history.
The journey of Simunye's 22-month pregnancy ended on Friday, March 14, despite care provided by the elephant care and veterinary teams. Regular pre-natal exams and behavioral observations indicated both mom and calf were healthy with no signs of complications throughout the entire gestational term.
Simunye began showing signs of active labor early Thursday morning while the care team watched remotely, to allow for the most natural birthing environment. She delivered her calf Friday afternoon, and despite her best attempts to assist, it showed no signs of movement. Other members of the herd surrounded Simunye throughout labor, and continued to provide support throughout the night as they grieved the loss together.
The calf, a female, was named Malaika, which means “angel” in Swahili.
"This is a time of extreme sadness for the entire Zoo family,“ said Scott Newland, President and CEO of Sedgwick County Zoo. "We were so excited to welcome a new member to the herd, and the entire pregnancy progressed exactly as it should have. Unfortunately though, not all pregnancies end in healthy births and we don’t always get an answer as to why.”
A thorough necropsy has been conducted and determined the calf died during the birthing process.
Simunye will continue to recover under the careful watch of the herd and the elephant care team. Elephants are extremely intelligent, social, and emotional animals, exhibiting strong bonds within their herd. They are known to provide support and comfort for one another through every birth, death, and each milestone in between.
“We know the deep connection our community has with our elephant herd, and we are grateful for your compassion, understanding, and support as we navigate this difficult time,” said Newland. “The team remains committed to providing the very best physical and emotional care for Simunye, as well as the rest of the herd as they process this unexpected loss."
The Sedgwick County Zoo actively participates in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ African Elephant Species Survival Plan. Four other elephants in the zoo’s herd are expecting calves this year, and the Zoo says team-members will continue to do everything they can to ensure healthy births for Talia, Arusi, Xolani, and Zuberi, while honoring the memory of the calf they'd hoped to welcome to the herd.