Baby elephant thriving after difficult birth

By James Connolly

A tiny elephant calf is thriving after a dramatic start to life - thanks to her devoted team of keepers.

Little Zaiya faced a rocky beginning when she struggled to feed after being born to first-time mom Tara at Blackpool Zoo.

With the newborn unable to suckle naturally, her keepers were forced to step in with round-the-clock care.

Every two hours, the team opened a specially designed hatch leading to a safe area where Zaiya could trot over for her feed of specially formulated milk.

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Once she'd finished, she would return to her mom in her own time.

Now seven weeks old, Zaiya is gaining weight and showing off her cheeky personality as she explores her surroundings.

Zoo manager Adam Kenyon praised the "extreme dedication" of the team, who "put their own lives on hold" to make sure the adorable calf got the care she needed.

He said: "We are privileged to witness the elephants naturally caring and raising Zaiya whilst watching her grow, it's the point where zookeeping exceeds being a job; it's a way of life."

Zoo director Darren Webster said: "Zaiya's journey is a true testament to the experience and knowledge of our elephant care team. Their round-the-clock commitment quite literally saved her life."