If a few hours in the sunshine Thursday were any indication, Louisville Zoo's new month-old baby already has a hobby, and it includes kicking dust into the air and running through it while flapping his ears for rows of children squealing with delight.

African elephant Mikki, 33, debuted her bull calf to the Louisville community Thursday morning after weeks of off-exhibit bonding.

The calf doesn't yet have a name, but the zoo officials say a naming contest will be announced soon and the public will be able to help give the 300-pound infant his identity.

And it should be a special name. Mikki's baby is only the second elephant baby born at the Louisville Zoo in its 50 years and his birth marks a considerable contribution to his species' gene pool.

"Mikki is unrelated to any other elephant in North America," Zoo Director John Walczak told a group gathered at the elephant pen. "So her calf not only is wonderful for her and her welfare, but is incredibly important for elephant conservation."

Mikki gave birth on Aug 2 after a 22-month gestation period. The zoo first announced her pregnancy, which was achieved through artificial insemination, in March 2018. The baby is the Louisville Zoo's third elephant, joining mom Mikki and Asian elephant, Punch, 49, who is not reproductive.

Background:It's a boy! Louisville Zoo baby elephant weighs in at 200-plus pounds

Mikki's first baby, Scotty, was born in March 2007 and died from complications of colic, a common ailment among elephants and horses.

Despite that, Steve Taylor, the assistant director of conservation, education and collections at the zoo, said there have been no issues or problems with the new baby's health.

"So far, both Mikki and the calf, right from the start, have been extremely healthy," he said. Staff continues to check his health every day and so far, "he's been great."

"We've not had one issue at all," Taylor said, "so he's extremely healthy and we're really glad that mom is extremely healthy."

Mikki, who lost around 1,000 pounds when she gave birth, is working her way back up to 9,000 pounds by eating lots of hay. The bull calf is nursing a lot, Taylor said, and sometimes drinks between 2 and 3 gallons at a time.

Mikki and the baby will be on exhibit at the zoo from 10 a.m. to noon "most days," Walczak said. "But you gotta remember, we are talking about a living, breathing entity, so we're gonna do what's best for those elephants at any given time."

To ensure the elephants will be out before visiting the zoo, always check the exhibit times at louisvillezoo.org/mikki before going.

As the baby grows, his time on exhibit will grow, Walczak said, but for now it's important to monitor mom and baby closely "to help ensure that this magnificent species is here for generations to come."

Read more:Louisville Zoo debuts African elephant Mikki's baby bull calf

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