The elephant exhibit is currently closed to the public and will reopen once successful bonding between the mother and calf is established and Chai demonstrates she's comfortable as a new mom. The zoo's other two female Asian elephants and one African female elephant are also off public view.

The newborn elephant, unnamed, weighs 235 pounds. For an in-depth look at Chai's story and for updates on Chai and her calf, log on to the zoo's Web site at www.zoo.org. or call the zoo's information line at 206.684.4800.

This marks the first elephant birth in Woodland Park Zoo's 100-year history. "Her arrival is not only a cause of celebration for the zoo," adds Waller. "This precious symbol of hope also represents the first elephant birth in the state of Washington and in our neighboring region, British Columbia, Canada." More important, the calf is a boon to the Asian elephant population in North American zoos and in the wild, where numbers are dangerously low.

In September 1998, the zoo sent Chai on a breeding loan to Dickerson Park Zoo in Missouri. Her intended mate, Onyx, a 36-year-old Asian bull (male elephant), sired the calf. Chai returned to Woodland Park last fall.

Visit the Baby Page to keep track of her progress!