MELBOURNE Zoo’s baby Asian elephant has managed to stand up in what her around-the-clock team of carers are calling a “small win”.

The baby elephant born almost three weeks ago has a rare tendon condition that means she can’t stand to feed.

Left untreated she would certainly have died.

Zoo staff and equine vets experienced treating similar complaints in horses, have been fighting to save her, feeding her formula mixed with milk from her mother Num.-Oi and giving her intensive physiotherapy.

media_camera Num-Oi at Melbourne Zoo towards the end of her pregnancy. Picture: Jay Town

The zoo’s head veterinarian Dr Michael Lynch said today [JUL 4] her legs had improved to the point where casts were now off both her front legs.

“Once we took those casts off she actually stood up with us balancing her for a short period of time, so she’s still showing some strength but she can’t consistently stand up unaided.”

But Dr Lynch said she was weak due from not drinking enough milk, so the zoo had supplemented her food intravenously.

“Our problem now is while we’ve fixed the legs, we have a calf that’s quite weak, and we’ve got to get her moving around again so that she can get back in with her mother. The situation does remain critical for this animal.”

The elephant was spending time with her mother twice a day through a fence.

media_camera Melbourne Zoo head veterinarian Michael Lynch with six-year-old elephant Ongard in the background. Picture: David Caird

He said staff had fallen in love with the baby elephant.

“She’s a real fighter. She really wants to get up and we encourage her in those efforts. She’s frustrated if the feeding’s not going well, she gives little roars. Of course everyone’s fallen in love with her and is admiring her spirit and her will to keep on going,” Dr Lynch said.