Elephant Pool Party: Baby Elephants Delight Visitors at Houston Zoo

Houston Zoo’s latest crowd pullers, baby elephants Baylor and Tupelo, are stirring with their adorable antics.

Their playful splashes in a new, larger paddling pool are attracting attention from visitors and online viewers alike.

Baylor, ten months old, and Tupelo, five months old, have recently been upgraded from a small inflatable pool to a larger 120-inch family-size one.

This transition was necessary due to their rapid growth, with Baylor weighing 1,100lbs and Tupelo weighing 600lbs and the increasing Texas summer temperatures.

Fun in the sun: Baby elephants Baylor, aged ten months, and five-month-old Tupelo have been given a bigger 120in pool to splash around in at Houston Zoo in Texas after outgrowing their small inflatable one — Fun in the sun: Baby elephants Baylor, aged ten months, and five-month-old Tupelo have been given a bigger 120-inch pool to splash around in at Houston Zoo in Texas after outgrowing their small inflatable one.

The zookeepers shared a delightful video capturing the elephants’ first foray into their bigger pool. In the footage, both Baylor and Tupelo are seen gleefully exploring their new play area.

One particularly heartwarming moment features Tupelo hilariously leaning on the pool’s edge before toppling in.

Houston Zoo’s elephant keeper, Mandy Rinker, explained that small inflatable pools are no match for the energetic calves, often getting punctured within five minutes of playtime.

Growing fast: The calves weigh 1,100lbs and 600lbs and have been given the bigger pool as warmer weather approaches and they need to cool down in rising temperatures — Growing fast: The calves weigh 1,100lbs and 600lbs and have been given the bigger pool as warmer weather approaches, and they need to cool down in rising temperatures.

The new larger pool, which can accommodate both Baylor and Tupelo, is much sturdier and typically lasts for about five uses.

While the zoo has no fixed schedule for the elephants’ pool time, lucky visitors can catch these impromptu fun-filled sessions near the elephant deck.

However, daily at 10 am, the calves are bathed in the ‘Meet the Keeper’ session, a must-watch for all visitors.

Best friends: Zoo keepers say Tupelo and Baylor have had 'a great relationship since the day they met' — Best friends: Zoo keepers say Tupelo and Baylor have had a great relationship since the day they met.

Baylor and Tupelo had shown impressive growth since birth, when they weighed a mere 250 lbs.

Zookeepers have been chronicling the elephants’ milestones and playful escapades in a ‘Trunk Tales’ blog. Baylor is said to enjoy carrots, sweet potatoes, and a hay diet.

Tupelo is learning to feed herself with chopped produce, hay, and, surprisingly, adult elephants’ feces, which is considered normal and beneficial for their digestion.

Overshadowed: Baylor and Tupelo only weighed 250lbs at birth but are growing fast. They are pictured being put in an exhibit yard to meet the rest of the herd at the zoo last year — Overshadowed: Baylor and Tupelo only weighed 250 lbs at birth but are growing fast. They are pictured being put in an exhibit yard to meet the rest of the herd at the zoo last year.

Daryl Hoffman, the large mammal’s curator at Houston Zoo, shared the strong bond between Baylor and Tupelo, stating, “These two bulls have had a great relationship since the day they met.”

Their companionship provides opportunities to spar, play, and expend energy, which is essential for their growth and development.

The calves’ names carry special significance. Baylor is named after the Baylor College of Medicine, acknowledging its significant contributions to elephant herpes research.

Mum's the word: Tupelo cuddles up to her mother, Tess. She was given a name beginning with 'T' after her parents, Tess and Thai, and was named after Van Morrison's song Tupelo Honey - a favourite of zoo staff — Mum’s the word: Tupelo cuddles up to her mother, Tess. She was given a name beginning with ‘T’ after her parents, Tess and Thai, and was named after Van Morrison’s song Tupelo Honey – a favorite of zoo staff.

Tupelo, named after Van Morrison’s song ‘Tupelo Honey,’ inherits the initial ‘T’ from her parents, Tess and Thai, continuing a lovely family tradition.