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<\/p>\nA new baby elephant is now greeting visitors at the Fort Worth Zoo \u2014 and he has a Texas-sized name.<\/p>\n
The zoo announced this week that Sam Houston, a male Asian elephant calf born April 1, made his public debut Thursday at Elephant Springs. <\/p>\n
The calf weighed 285 pounds at birth, stood 36 inches tall, and is the largest elephant calf born in the zoo\u2019s history, according to a release from the zoo. <\/p>\n
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Sam Houston, the Fort Worth Zoo’s newest Asian elephant calf, was born on April 1, 2026. (Fort Worth Zoo )<\/p>\n
The calf was born to 13-year-old Bluebell at 5:31 a.m. and was standing within six minutes and nursing within an hour, according to the release. Sam Houston is Bluebell\u2019s second calf and the son of Romeo, 33, making him the younger brother of 3-year-old Travis and the half-sibling of 8-month-old Lady Bird and 4-year-old Brazos.<\/p>\n
The calf has spent his first week’s bonding with Bluebell behind the scenes while learning to navigate his environment, including swimming and interacting with other members of the herd, according to the release. <\/p>\n
Related:<\/strong> Baby eaglets ruffle some feathers at White Rock Lake as they learn to fly<\/a><\/p>\n Guests can see Sam Houston in the main Elephant Springs habitat daily from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., according to the release. Afternoon naps remain part of the calf\u2019s daily routine.<\/p>\n \u201cAsian elephants are endangered, with fewer than 40,000 individuals remaining in the wild, and their populations continue to decline,\u201d Ramona Bass, chair of the Fort Worth Zoo Board of Directors, said in the release. \u201cEach birth is a step forward, reflecting decades of dedicated care and specialized expertise.\u201d<\/p>\n