Melbourne Zoo recently witnessed the adorable moment when Man Jai, a six-month-old Asian elephant calf, took his first plunge into the deep pool.
Despite the chilly water, Man Jai, accompanied by his big sister Mali, enthusiastically dived into the 4.5-meter pool for the first time.
Previously restricted to a shallower paddling pool, Man Jai had shown a keen interest in swimming since he was just a few days old.
It seems that the cold temperatures do not deter these elephants from enjoying a swim, as they have been known to take a dip even during winter. Melbourne Zoo’s CCTV footage captured them swimming during the night last winter.
Dominic Moss, the manager of the elephant enclosure at Melbourne Zoo, shared that visitors can now expect to see Man Jai swimming most days.
Born as the fourth elephant calf at the zoo, Man Jai follows in the footsteps of his sister Mali, the first-ever elephant calf and first female calf born in Australia.
While Man Jai still depends on his mother Dokkoon’s milk for nourishment, he has begun to show interest in the food consumed by the other elephants.
The Melbourne Zoo’s breeding program, part of the regional endangered species breeding program for Asian Elephants, commenced when three young females arrived from Thailand at Avalon Airport in 2006.
