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D.C.'s National Zoo cares for baby elephant rejected by her mother

WBUR
Published October 7, 2026 at 12:02 PM EDT
Linh Mai, an Asian elephant calf, touches the hand of elephant keeper Becky Shore, during the calf's public debut at the National Zoo, Wednesday April 22, 2026, in Washington. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP)
Jacquelyn Martin/AP
Linh Mai, an Asian elephant calf, touches the hand of elephant keeper Becky Shore, during the calf's public debut at the National Zoo, Wednesday April 22, 2026, in Washington. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP)

The National Zoo in Washington, D.C. had to staff up to care for a baby elephant rejected by her mother. Linh Mai has become a star of the zoo, but after her mother behaved aggressively toward her, her human keepers had to step in for round-the-clock care.

Fed a special formula imported from Australia, Linh Mai’s keepers are hand-raising the 1,000-pound calf, while also trying to ensure she connects with other elephants in her herd.

Host Scott Tong talked to Robbie Clark, her chief keeper, about how Linh Mai survived a scary first weeks of life and is now “thriving” with her elephant aunties and human caregivers.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

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