The unnamed calf is second in the world born using technique

Week-old baby elephant is first in safari park’s 41-year history

His mother Five, 22, became ‘clingy’ in few weeks before birth

A safari park is celebrating the birth of the first baby elephant in its 41-year history.

The male baby African elephant, now a week old, weighed in at 221lb when he was born at West Midlands Safari Park at 5.30pm on Monday of last week.

His mother Five gave birth to him after a 22-month pregnancy following artificial insemination from semen that had been frozen and stored in a French laboratory.

The unnamed male calf is the first baby elephant born at West Midland Safari Park in its 41-year history

It was taken from an elephant on a reserve in South Africa.

The as yet unnamed male calf is only the second to be born in the world using this technique.

A female, born last year at Vienna Zoo, was the first.

The technique was developed by a team from Berlin’s Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, which has worked closely with West Midland Safari Park.

Andy Plumb, head elephant keeper, has cared for 22-year-old Five since she arrived at West Midlands Safari Park in 1998.

He said: ‘This really is fantastic news, the baby is absolutely perfect – just like his mother – and both are fine.

‘Five has been well throughout her pregnancy and it has only been during the last few weeks before the birth that she has seemed to be a bit more “clingy” than usual towards the staff. The birth was an uncomplicated one and Five clearly adores her new baby.’

Pictured with his mother Five, who went through a 22-month pregnancy

The baby African elephant was born at 5.30pm on Monday, May 5 and weighed 221lb

Mr Plumb added: ‘We are all absolutely over the moon that mum and baby are doing well.’

Five arrived at West Midlands Safari Park when she was six years old.

Left orphaned after her mother was shot, she was hand reared in a private elephant orphanage near Pretoria, South Africa, before moving to the park in Bewdley, Worcestershire.

The calf, who is yet to be named, takes a stroll with his mother Five around the West Midland Safari Park

He is only the second elephant in the world to be born using the technique of artificial insemination