Himba and Rosie reunited on the great plain: a new chapter for the two young elephants
A huge milestone for the elephant herd at ZooParc de Beauval: for the very first time, on Monday 15 June, Himba and Rosie spent time together on the Elephant Plain.
The two young females, born on 15 February (Himba) and 22 March (Rosie) respectively, had already explored the outdoor enclosures individually alongside their mothers. They had also got to know each other during initial introductions organised in the Elephant House. But this outing marked a new milestone: bringing the two babies, their mothers N’Dala and Ashanti, and the rest of the female herd together on the same plain. It was a day eagerly awaited by the animal care teams and one that had been in preparation for several weeks.
Check out the footage of this first joint outing in our video!
Two calves who were looking forward to just one thing: being together
Right from the start, one thing was clear to the keepers: Himba and Rosie wanted to interact. “The little ones are seeking each other out a lot. They want to play together and bond,” explains Amaury, an animal keeper in the elephant section.
Born just a few weeks apart, the two young females are half-sisters: they share the same father, Akili, the breeding bull of the Beauval elephant herd.
On several occasions, the two young females have tried to get closer to one another. These initial interactions are still limited, but they offer a glimpse of the relationship that could develop between the two half-sisters in the coming months.
Rosie and Himba: already two very different personalities
Although they are only a few weeks apart in age, the two elephants are already displaying distinct temperaments. “Rosie is much more lively and much more curious,” observes Amaury. The young female, born on 22 March, eagerly explores her surroundings and regularly seeks to discover what is around her.
Himba, on the other hand, seems calmer and more composed. “She’s much closer to her mother,” sums up the keeper. Two already well-defined personalities that promise some lovely moments when the two little ones can spend their days together.
Mums who are still very attentive
Whilst the two baby elephants already seem ready to become playmates, their mothers are still learning to cope with this new situation. During this first outing together, Ashanti was particularly vigilant.
For Amaury, this reaction is probably down to her status as a new mother.
“It’s her first calf. She’s very attentive and you can sense there’s still a certain amount of stress surrounding Rosie.” The keepers have also observed tensions between Ashanti and N’Dala, which were already apparent during previous organised encounters inside the building.
“Ashanti often seeks out N’Dala. We imagine she’s trying to re-establish her position within the group and remind N’Dala that she’s higher up in the hierarchy. There may also be some jealousy towards the other baby, but you can never know exactly what’s going on in an elephant’s mind,” explains Amaury.
A joint outing deemed a success
Despite these minor tensions, the teams have given a very positive assessment of this first experiment. “Yes, it’s a success,” says Amaury. In particular, the vast outdoor space allowed the females to keep their distance when necessary.
This stage represents a new learning experience for the whole group and paves the way for future encounters. In the coming weeks, the keepers will gradually continue the joint outings to allow the mothers to build confidence and the two calves to develop their interactions.
Two half-sisters destined to grow up together
For the teams, the objective remains the same: to enable Himba and Rosie to form a genuine bond. “The ultimate goal for us would be for the two mothers to settle down and for the two little ones to really enjoy each other’s company. ” Born just a few weeks apart, the two young females represent an exceptional opportunity for the herd. “We hope they’ll be able to grow up together, have fun together and form a genuine bond.”
This is a particularly exciting prospect for the keepers, who hadn’t seen an elephant birth at Beauval since 2012 and the birth of Rungwe, before the arrival of Himba and then Rosie this year.
Excellent news for the conservation of the species
Classified as “Endangered” on the IUCN Red List, the African savannah elephant faces numerous threats in its natural habitat. The births of Himba and Rosie are therefore excellent news for the European breeding programme for the species.
After thirteen years without an elephant birth at Beauval, seeing two young females growing up side by side today is a highlight for the animal care teams. “It’s a great source of satisfaction and a real pleasure to see them together,” concludes Amaury.
Sponsor the elephants and protect biodiversity
At ZooParc de Beauval, eight females and one male, Akili, roam across three open areas totalling 6 hectares: this is the largest habitat for elephants in France. An exceptional facility, designed with their wellbeing in mind.
You can sponsor the elephant herd and contribute directly to the conservation of endangered species around the world. Sponsorship is a donation to the Beauval Nature charity, 66 per cent of which is tax-deductible.
