Asian Elephant Calf Linh Mai Takes Her First Swim, Showing Off Her Pachyderm Paddle

Look who’s learning to “elephant paddle!” 

Linh Mai, our 5-month-old Asian elephant calf, reached a major milestone this week: baby’s first swim! 

Our brave “spirit blossom” entered the 5.5-foot-deep end of the outdoor pool for the very first time July 15. In true herd mentality, Linh Mai waited until all elephant care team “lifeguards”—curator and elephant manager Robbie Clark and assistant curators Jason Gue and Megan Mrozinski—were in the pool before taking the pachyderm plunge. 

The team cheered her on, held her trunk above water (like a snorkel) and gently guided her to the shallow side of the pool—before she dove in again! 

Until this week, the deepest Linh Mai had ventured into the pool was about 2.5 feet, in the Elephant Community Center. Still, the calf—who is 3’10” tall at the shoulder and weighs a robust 824 pounds—seems to really relish splashing around. 

“There are days where she will get in and out of the pool for hours,” says Clark. “Then, she tuckers herself out and falls asleep on the sand.” 

Keeper Amanda Bobyack, who watched the pool party from a nearby keeper observation area, said learning to swim and navigate to shore is important for Linh Mai. 

“Elephants are born kind of like us—everything they know is learned behavior,” Bobyack says. “Her learning that she can float and get out of the pool if she finds herself in a precarious situation is so important.”  Bobyack says this milestone is pivotal for allowing Linh Mai to explore outdoor habitats with pools safely when she is with her aunties, Swarna and Bozie, and dad Spike. 

Come say ‘hi’ to Linh Mai! Join us August 7–9 for EleFest, a weekend celebration of elephants, culture, conservation and community leading up to World Elephant Day on August 12. Bring your family, spend a day with the elephant herd and learn how Zoo science supports wildlife conservation around the world. Reserve your free Zoo entry pass here.