Disney Parks Blog reports that Donna became pregnant through artificial insemination in July 2008 and received extensive pre-natal care throughout her pregnancy. In addition to regular ultrasounds, veterinarians and elephant managers monitored her hormone levels on a daily basis to help them determine when she would give birth. Labor appeared imminent last night and the animal care team stayed with her to provide round-the-clock care until the female calf was born around 11:30 p.m.

This is the fifth elephant born at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. In addition to Donna’s first female calf, Nadirah, Tufani, a male, was born in 2003; Kianga, a female, was born in 2004; and Tsavo, the youngest male, joined the herd in 2008. All remain on the savannah at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. This birth raises the total number of elephants in the Disney’s Animal Kingdom herd to thirteen, including five males and eight females.

Bonsu’s name means biggest and strongest fish in the sea and is inspired from the Akan language in Ghana. Since the park opened in 1998 Bonsu is the fourth male and 11th giraffe overall born at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. He is also the second calf for his mother Nikki whose first offspring, a female named Rori, was born in 2006. She can be seen today on the Savannah at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge.

Animal programs team members welcomed three other giraffes earlier this year;

• Makena, whose name means “Happy One” in Swahili, was born on Leap Day February 29 weighing in at 118 pounds and five-five, six inches tall.

• Marley was born March 14 and weighed 122 pounds and stood just under six feet.

• AJ arrived March 27, standing about six feet tall, and weighing in at 145 pounds at birth.

When these giraffe calves grow up, each of them could be as tall as 15 – 18 feet. The newest calf and his mother are doing fine and are expected to rejoin their herd on the Savannah at Disney’s Animal Kingdom in the next few weeks.

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