NEWS: Baby Elephant Debuts on Disney’s Animal Kingdom Savanna

A baby elephant named Corra, who was born last December, has made her debut on Kilimanjaro Safaris at Disney’s Animal Kingdom! Catch all the details below.

Here are all the details from Disney Cast Member Scott Terrell:

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Savanna has a brand-new and completely adorable 312-pound resident. Corra, a two-month-old African elephant, made her debut today. Her mother, Nadirah, was also born at Disney’s Animal Kingdom making Corra the first second-generation elephant in Animal Kingdom’s history.

Corra will be surrounded by a few familiar faces on the savanna, since she is joining a herd that includes her aunts Stella and Luna, as well as her grandmother, Donna. Corra’s dad, Mac, also lives here at the park.

Predicting the Big Day

Getting to today was two years in the making. It all started with the animal care team and our endocrinologists noticing Nadirah’s new behaviors and maturity, indicating she might be ready to become a mom. After some hopeful introductions and a successful courtship, a match was made with Mac, leading to the magic of a second-generation calf at Disney’s Animal Kingdom!

Throughout her pregnancy, Nadirah had regular ultrasounds to make sure mom and baby were healthy. The final ultrasound was planned just a few weeks before she gave birth, but unlike ultrasounds you may know from human pregnancies, our veterinarians couldn’t see the entire calf because of Corra’s size and position. Still able to check in on the calf by feeling Nadirah’s belly, veterinarian Dr. Betsy could feel Corra move and even felt a little kick!

Nadirah voluntarily participated in her own care and keepers made sure she was comfortable every step of her pregnancy. That meant getting plenty of healthy and nutritious treats like her favorites, sweet potatoes, carrots and hay during regular checkups and exams.

With the big day in sight, the animal care and endocrinology teams carefully monitored the final stages of Nadirah’s nearly 22-month pregnancy, measuring the calf’s size, weight and mom’s hormones daily. A drop in progesterone levels was a sure sign that Corra’s arrival was close.

The Unsung Heroes Behind Baby Corra

From timing maturity levels and coordinating introductions of mom Nadirah and dad Mac, to observing mating behaviors, monitoring hormonal cycles and the big labor and delivery day – the science behind the birth of a baby animal at Disney is facilitated by an orchestra of unsung heroes who quietly work behind the scenes and go to incredible lengths to ensure the genetic diversity and healthy population of endangered species.

In fact, our animal care team has welcomed a range of endangered and threatened species to Walt Disney World in collaboration with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan. These efforts have helped many species in our care including African elephants, Sumatran tigers, western lowland gorillas, adorable cotton-top tamarins and the elusive okapi to name just a few.

And there’s one more thing. Wait … maybe two. Yes, that’s right, we are expecting two more baby elephants in 2025!

Seeing extraordinary moments like this is one of the many reasons Kilimanjaro Safaris is so special. Next time you’re at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, be sure to take a safari ride and say hello to this dynamic dynasty. And for the latest updates on the elephant herd and all the animals at Walt Disney World Resort, follow Dr. Mark on Instagram and Disney’s Animals, Science and Environment Facebook page.

RELATED ARTICLE: NEWS–Disney’s Animal Kingdom Welcomes New Baby Elephant

It’s always exciting to hear about animal births at Disney’s Animal Kingdom! Recently, a baby girl elephant was born! Learn more below.

Here are all the details from Disney Cast Member Scott Terrell:

The holidays are a time to celebrate the heartwarming moments in life, and we’re extra thankful this year because for the first time in seven years, an African elephant calf was born at Disney’s Animal Kingdom!

The beautiful baby elephant is backstage bonding with mom Nadirah, and she is already bringing plenty of joy to our animal care team this holiday season. And at just 218 pounds, she is absolutely adorable! African elephant births like these are carefully planned through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Species Survival Plan. This program helps ensure the responsible breeding of endangered animals in managed care.

This is Nadirah’s first calf, making this birth extra special because Nadirah herself was born at Disney’s Animal Kingdom in 2005, making her the first second-generation calf. Since this is Nadirah’s first birth, her sister Luna was there to guide and comfort her throughout the process. The calf will soon get to meet her grandma, Donna, and her other aunt, Stella, too. It’s common for adult females in the herd to assist in raising young elephants until they are considered to be independent, typically around 8 years old. Meaning, these family bonds will only grow stronger as the calf gets older.

Nadirah became pregnant through natural breeding in early 2022, and she’s received special care from our animal care team for the entirety of her nearly 22-month pregnancy. It takes a team of dedicated cast members to care for a pregnant elephant and eventually, her newborn calf.

Under the expert care of animal keepers, our veterinary team and scientists, mother and baby will undergo continued post-natal exams and spend several days bonding before they are ready to join the rest of the herd. During this bonding period, the elephant team is watching for the pair to share key moments like successful nursing and weight gain.

From animal keepers who carefully observed the expecting mom to endocrinologists who monitored hormone patterns and veterinarians who helped manage the overall health of the calf, we’ll be sharing all the major milestones that led up to the birth and beyond. Check back on the Disney Parks Blog for updates and sweet behind-the-scenes moments with mom Nadirah and her newborn baby girl named Corra!