TOLEDO, Ohio — The Toledo Zoo announced Friday the birth of a healthy male baby elephant. 

What You Need To Know

  • The mom of the calf, which was born on Feb. 17, is African elephant, Renee

  • The zoo said the new calf is the result of "a successful and sophisticated artificial insemination (AI) process"

  • People can donate to select their favorite name for the baby by clicking here

The mom of the calf, which was born on Feb. 17, is African elephant, Renee.

“The birth of this precious baby elephant is such a momentous event. I couldn’t be prouder of our whole Zoo team. The team not only has such dedication to our elephants but they have also made every effort to bring our members and followers along for the journey of Renee’s pregnancy. A huge part of our mission is to inspire and educate, this baby is already helping us achieve our mission,” said Jeff Sailer, president and CEO of the Toledo Zoo, in a press release.

The zoo said the new calf is the result of "a successful and sophisticated artificial insemination (AI) process." They said a male elephant named Titan from the Sedgwick County Zoo in Witchita, Kansas, was selected to be the father. 

“It took months of coordination working with our partners in the field,” said Michael Frushour, general curator of endotherms at the Toledo Zoo. “It takes a special team of experts to perform an elephant AI, and we prioritized working with the best professionals within the United States and from around the world to make sure that happened.”

This marks Renee's third pregnancy through artificial insemination. Renee arrived to the zoo in 1982 and is estimated to turn 45 years old in June. 

The zoo said the calf and his mom are in great health.

The zoo is also asking for the public to help name the new baby. People can donate to select their favorite name by clicking here. The contest closes on March 14.