At Amboseli National Park in Kenya, nearly 1,600 elephants are free to roam with family and friends.
But recently, a family welcomed some more special new babies. In fact, they’re so rare that the park hasn’t seen one since 1980.
Elephant twins, a boy, and a girl were born in late May to a 38-year-old female named Paru. She’s part of a 40-member family – and everyone, including the babies’ sister, has joined in to help care for them.
Now 2 months old, the calves are continuing to defy the odds. Research shows that there is less than 1% chance that the mother elephants will give birth to twins. If they are born, one will likely die shortly after birth.
So far, the calves are doing great, never straying too far from their mother or the rest of the family. They are also in the best place to stay safe; Within the park, local community members and rangers unite to protect the animals from the pervasive threat of poaching.
Thankfully, these kids get to live in the wilderness where they belong – but they’re never too far from the rangers in case they need help.
The twins foraging for grass with their big sister at the end of June | FACEBOOK/AMBOSELI TRUST FOR ELEPHANTS
“This is a very unique scenario in terms of conservation, especially in elephant populations,” said Kenneth Ole Nashu, a senior park manager: “We are proud, and we are now monitoring to make sure the babies are in pretty good health.”