Zoo's Baby Elephant To Make Public Debut

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium's newest baby elephant will be making her public debut this week.

The zoo announced visitors will be able to get a glimpse of calf starting Friday, and daily, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. as she plays in the elephant family room.

The baby calf was born a month early, and weighed only 184 pounds when born, which is 52 pounds below the normal median birth weight.

The Zoo wants to let visitors know that viewing the calf will be contingent on how she is feeling or what she is doing that day.

"We are very excited to be able to provide visitors with a chance to get a look at the new calf," says Dr. Barbara Baker, President & CEO of the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium. "The little calf's health and welfare is our top priority. We want to ensure that she will be comfortable being in the family room with more people and movement outside of the exhibit. She is still very young and there may be days when she isn't feeling up to it or she may behave differently and we will to ensure that she remains healthy, so each day we will make the decision on whether or not she will be available for viewing."

The zoo suggests checking their website here, to see when she will be available on a particular day.

The four-week-old calf is doing well.

Zookeepers say her appetite is growing and she is now drinking up to 16 pints every day.

The calf is reportedly very curious and loves to investigate as she takes daily walks through the barn for exercise.