Two extremely rare elephant twins have been born in a game reserve in southeastern South Africa.
The unnamed children were discovered in the Pongola Game Reserve in North Kwa-Zulu Natal this week in the care of their mother and the rest of the herd.
Less than one percent of elephants are born as twins, and the last reported number was born in 2006 to a cow in Kruger National Park.
The twins were born to Curve, a 31-year-old cow, and the father is believed to be Ingani, a 44-year-old male elephant born just over a year ago.
Although the twins’ father is no longer pictured, Curve still gets a lot of help from the rest of the herd in taking care of her babies.
Pongola Game Reserve management has yet to determine the sex of the twins, as they are giving Curve space to care for and feed her babies to ensure they have the best beginning.
‘The m.o.rtal.ity of one of the twins usually occurs because the growing milk needs of the two calves are not being met by the mother, and the less dominant of the two are often unable to access their share of the milk, so this is the best place to start,’ said elephant expert Dr Ian Whyte, formerly of the National Park Service at Kruger National Park.
By: natureandwildlife.tv