The China Mail - Critically endangered Sumatran elephant calf born in Indonesia

Sumatran elephants are on the brink of extinction with only about 2,400-2,800 left in the world, according to the World Wide Fund for Nature.

The female calf was born Monday at the Buluh Cina nature tourism park in Riau Province on the western island of Sumatra, local conservation agency head Genman Suhefti Hasibuan told AFP.

The unnamed calf was born to a 24-year-old female named Ngatini and a 25-year-old bull named Robin, Genman added.

"The female calf weighs 104 kilograms (229 pounds)," Genman told AFP.

"The calf is healthy, lively, and actively looking for milk from the mother."

Two more critically endangered Sumatran elephants were born late last year in Way Kambas National Park on Sumatra island.

Indonesian officials hailed the births and said they showed conservation efforts were essential to prevent the protected species from extinction.

The elephant population is threatened by rampant poaching for their tusks, which are prized in the illegal wildlife trade.

The archipelago nation faces an ongoing battle against wildlife crime and several elephant poisoning cases have been reported in recent years.

Deforestation has reduced the critically endangered elephants' natural habitat and brought them into increasing conflict with humans.

G.Fung--ThChM