After checking on her, they realised Dusun, who was pregnant, was going into labour. They quickly leapt into action.
“We went to help the baby stand up and stabilise it. This can take 2.5 to three hours. The whole time, the baby was in the care and embrace of its mother. I think that was Dusun expressing her love towards her child,” KECV director Ang Ching Yang told FMT Lifestyle.
“Datuk Ust Fauzi from the Sultan Mizan Royal Foundation gave her the name ‘Hujjan’ because it was raining when she was born,” he added.
The birth at 12.15am on Sept 26 was a great cause for celebration for the centre, as it was the first time a baby elephant had been born there in its 10-year history.
According to Ang, baby elephants born in captivity are rare all over the world, and only a few cases have previously been reported in Malaysia.
Elephants have the longest period of gestation of any mammal, as they carry their young for up to 22 months.
KECV provides a sanctuary for rescued Malaysian elephants whose lives have been affected by habitat loss and ivory poaching. Including Hujjan, the village is currently home to eight male and 10 female elephants.
Most of them are local animals rescued from poachers or human-elephant conflicts by the wildlife and national parks department (Perhilitan).
Ang reported that both Hujjan and Dusun are in good health. Once Hujjan is older, she will be released into nearby forests so she can learn to thrive on her own.
“We also aim to get advice and consultation from wildlife and zoological experts so we can further understand Hujjan’s needs and improve our facilities here,” Ang added.
He explained that caring for elephants can be very expensive, as they eat 120-200kg of vegetation daily. As such, Ang invites companies or NGOs that are interested in conservation efforts to help sponsor Hujjan.
This, he noted, would be a tax-deductible expense.
For Ang, Hujjan’s birth is a sign that the centre’s conservation efforts are paying off, and he is grateful to his team and everyone involved for the successful birth.
“Elephants are really magnificent creatures, but their survival has been affected over the past few years by habitat destruction. We have to make sure we keep them alive for future generations,” he added.
Ang had further good news to share: another elephant named Puteri is expected to give birth next year, meaning Hujjan might soon have another young friend to play with!
“We invite everyone who’s in Terengganu to come by and visit Hujjan. We hope this raises awareness about conversation and the importance of nature preservation,” Ang concluded.
Here’s hoping Hujjan lives a long and healthy life at the conservation village. Who knows, she might well become the star attraction here, just like Moo Deng in Thailand!
Kenyir Elephant Conservation Village
Jalan Felda Aring,
Tasik Kenyir,
21700 Kuala Berang, Terengganu