RINGLING BROS. ANNOUNCES BIRTH OF 25th ASIAN ELEPHANT CALF
IT’S A BOY! CALF NAMED NATE IN HONOR OF RINGLING BROS. PRODUCERS’ GRANDFATHER
(January 22, 2013 –
Vienna, VA) – The Ringling Bros.
and Barnum & Bailey Center for Elephant Conservation® proudly announces
the birth of a healthy male Asian elephant. Our twenty-fifth calf, Nate, is named
in honor of Feld Entertainment Executive Producers Nicole, Alana, and Juliette
Feld’s grandfather. Nate is the largest calf born to the Ringling Bros. and
Barnum & Bailey Center for Elephant Conservation breeding program – the
most successful Asian elephant breeding program in the Western
Hemisphere. Nate was born at 4:04
p.m. on December 15, 2012, weighing 352 pounds.
Nate is the calf of Sally
and Romeo. He is Sally’s sixth calf, and first male calf. Nate has three older
half-sisters through his mom, Sally, currently touring with Ringling Bros.,
and will grow up with his half-sister on his dad’s side, Piper, who was born in
August.
“Not only have we just launched
the 143rd edition of The
Greatest Show On Earth with Built to
Amaze, but Nate’s birth also shows that we’re continuing to build our herd
of Asian elephants,” said Executive
Vice President of Feld Entertainment and Producer of Ringling Bros. and
Barnum & Bailey Alana Feld. “Our grandfather Nathan was a beloved member of our family, and honoring him with
our newest calf just shows how important these amazing animals are to the
generations of our own family.”
The team of veterinarians
and elephant husbandry specialists who oversaw Nate’s birth will also watch
over and care for Nate as he grows and develops. Since the program’s inception,
it has seen unparalleled breeding success and remains one of the key components
in Ringling Bros. international conservation efforts.
About
the Ringling Bros. Center for Elephant Conservation: Ringling Bros. and Barnum &
Bailey Center for Elephant Conservation was established to ensure that
future generations have the opportunity to experience the endangered Asian elephant
species. Built in 1995, this 200-acre, state-of-the-art facility was designed
for the reproduction, research and retirement of the Asian elephant,
enabling Ringling Bros. to share its elephant husbandry knowledge
with the veterinary and conservation communities worldwide.
For more
information about the Ringling Bros. Center for Elephant
Conservation visit www.elephantcenter.com
Media
Contacts:
Ashley Smith
asmith@feldinc.com
703-448-4145