An adorable Asian elephant calf, named Sam Houston, recently took his first swim, with sweet footage showing him splashing around with his mom.
The Fort Worth Zoo released this footage, which features the calf’s first-ever swim, along with his first swim in his habitat.
“Before making his debut in the public habitat, Sam Houston and his mom, Bluebell, took a few swims in one of the behind-the-scenes pools,” the zoo told Storyful. “The shallow water helped him get used to using his trunk in the water, while also helping Bluebell feel more comfortable with him around the pool.”
The zoo added that Asian elephants are “very natural swimmers, with impressive lung capacity and surprisingly buoyant bodies.”
“In the wild, they swim to cool off, cross rivers or move between islands, and even just for recreation. Judging by Bluebell’s love for the water, Sam Houston is already following in Mom’s footsteps!” the zoo said. Credit: Fort Worth Zoo via Storyful