Samu, the Baby Elephant Turns Three

Samu, the baby elephant, is one of the most popular residents of our Zoo. He was born in the early morning hours of 24 April 2021, as the third calf of Angele and Assam. At the time, we shared a short film about his birth and first days, which is worth watching again.

Over the past three years, Samu has experienced a lot: his days have been filled with lot of fun such as splashing in water, ball games, and chasing pigeons that land in his enclosure. Just over a year ago, however, he went through a difficult time when his body was attacked by the dreaded elephant herpesvirus, a disease feared by young Asian elephants. Without treatment, this disease is always fatal, and even with treatment, it has a 50% mortality rate. It is a significant problem for elephant populations both in the wild and in zoos. Due to regular screening tests, the illness was detected in Samu before clinical symptoms appeared, and thanks to the tireless work of our dedicated veterinarians and keepers, along with the use of the most advanced treatment protocols—including multiple blood plasma and blood transfusions—the disease was finally overcome. So, there is indeed much to celebrate.

Now is the time to do so, as little Samu has reached his third year. His actual birthday is today, but we chose to celebrate on Saturday so that as many of our visitors as possible can join in. We invite all of Samu’s friends to celebrate with us on Saturday, April 27, at 11 a.m. at the elephant enclosure.

It’s worth visiting the Zoo this weekend anyway, as many young animals, including lambs, goat kids, a calf, Patagonian mara pups, and kangaroo joeys, await visitors. Additionally, the newly arrived elephant fish are now on display.