Sedgwick County Zoo elephant's pregnancy comes to ‘heartbreaking' end

Yahoo

17-03-2025

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — The Sedgwick County Zoo's excitement about five elephant pregnancies has been dimmed as one of the pregnancies has ended in a stillbirth.
The zoo says 29-year-old African elephant Simunye delivered a stillborn calf on Friday following a healthy, full-term pregnancy.
'The Zoo community, staff, and elephant herd alike are mourning this devastating loss,' the zoo said in a news release. 'This would have marked the first elephant born at Sedgwick County Zoo in its 54-year history.'
Simunye had been getting regular prenatal exams. The zoo said everything indicated that both mom and calf were healthy with no sign of complications throughout the entire gestational term.
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The elephant began showing signs of active labor early Thursday morning. The zoo's 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,' the zoo said. '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, ' Scott Newland, the zoo's president and CEO, said. '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 necropsy determined that the calf died during the birthing process.
The zoo has kept the community informed of the various stages of the five elephants' pregnancies, even sharing a video of the baby kicking Simunye's side.
Simunye was due first. She was the only expectant elephant who has given birth before. Talia, Xolani, Arusi, and Zuberi are all pregnant with their first offspring and are due between spring and fall.
'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,' Newland said. '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.'
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