Feb 27, 2008 6:46 pm US/Eastern
Md. Zoo Elephant To Have Baby
BALTIMORE (WJZ) ―
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The Maryland Zoo's newest female elephant is anticipating an addition of her own.
CBS
It's the biggest thing to happen to the Maryland Zoo since it opened more than 100 years ago.
Jessica Kartalija reports zookeepers are paying close attention to a female elephant who's on the verge of making history.
Felix is a 24-year-old African elephant who left her old digs behind before packing her trunk for Maryland.
"We knew she was pregnant when she came. She came from a facility in Arkansas. We felt like she would be a good fit here," said elephant manager Mike McClure.
The pregnant pachyderm has packed on the pounds. Elephants gain a ton of weight, literally, when they're expecting.
"The only way to tell [Felix is pregnant] is by looking at her two front legs. She has milk and her breasts are swollen. That's the only way you can tell she is pregnant," McClure said.
The special delivery is expected sometime in the next two weeks. It's a first for the Maryland Zoo.
"It's the most exciting thing we've done with elephants ever," McClure said.
There's no word on when the public may be invited to see the baby. It all depends on how the baby is doing physically and mentally.
This will be the second calf for Felix.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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