Elephant twins delight conservationists in Tanzania

Of the once millions of elephants that roamed Africa's savannahs, only a fraction remain. For conservationists, every elephant birth is therefore a great joy — and with twins, that joy is doubled.

20’000 elephants killed every year

Elephants are threatened with extinction worldwide. Human greed plays a significant role in this tragedy: around 20’000 elephants are killed every year in Africa alone for their precious ivory. The situation is particularly dire in East African Tanzania: since 2009, more than 65’000 elephants in Tanzania have been killed by hobby hunters and poachers alike. And the poachers show no mercy toward humans either: around 1’000 rangers have been killed in recent years.

Rare twin birth in Tarangire National Park

All the more welcome, then, is the news from Tarangire National Park in the north of the country: researchers from the US-based conservation foundation Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) have discovered two young elephants that joined the herd of their mother, named Eloise. What makes them special: the two calves are twins. And twins are extremely rare among these thick-skinned animals. It is estimated that only one in every hundred births results in twins. The twins — a sister and a brother — are now eight months old, in good health, and under the loving care of their mother. According to the researchers, Eloise gave birth to the two calves last August at the impressive age of 57, making her the oldest known elephant twin mother in the world. The two young animals will nurse from their mother for 3 to 4 years before they begin eating grass and other plants.

Thanks to Eloise's long life experience and the protection from poachers provided by the national park's rangers, the researchers are confident that the two young animals will reach adulthood. More on wildlife and environment and conservation.