It's been one year since Arun, a male calf Asian Elephant elephant, was born on October 31, 2020.

For us animal keeper, this past year has been a whirlwind of daily struggles raising the first baby elephant at Ueno Zoo, and it feels like it went by in a flash.

Looking back, the biggest turning point after Arun's safe birth was when his mother, Uthai, accepted him. We provided all the support we could, but it was Uthai's own maternal instincts that ultimately led to Arun's healthy growth today.

Sometimes, Uthai's actions towards Arun may seem rough to us at first glance. However, I believe these actions have an educational significance, conveying what is necessary for Asian Elephant, which are wild animals, to survive.

On the other hand, when they are on alert for something or sense danger such as an earthquake, Uthai will protect Arun by burrowing under her chin. The bond between mother and child is growing stronger, so we hope you will watch over Uthai's first experience of raising a child with warmth and understanding.

In March 2021, Daya died, and we thought it would be better for Surya, who had become emotionally unstable, to be with Uthai and her cub, so we tried to have them live together. However, Surya was sometimes startled by Arun, who runs around quickly despite his small size, so we currently keep them in separate enclosures. In the future, we plan to gradually acclimate them while observing the animals' behavior, and eventually be able to let all three of them roam freely together.

Arun, who weighed 120.5 kg at birth, recently reached 500 kg. He is growing rapidly, gaining about 1 kg per day. In addition to breast milk from Utai, he has started eating green grass, bamboo leaves, root vegetables, and fruits, so he will likely grow even bigger from now on.

As Arun grows, he will need things like paw and nail care, and health checks through blood tests, so we plan to train him so that we can monitor his health from behind the fence.

Although he's grown bigger, he's still a baby elephant. We will continue to support Arun's growth while paying close attention to his health.

[Ueno Zoo East Garden Animal Care and Exhibition Staff]


[Video] Arun weighs 500kg
(Date of photo: October 26, 2021)
Arun's activities have been featured on Ueno Zoo official website for the past year. Here's a collection of videos that particularly showcase his growth.


[Video] Asian Elephant "Uthai" gives birth

[Video] Birth of Asian Elephant "Arun"

[Video] Arun's first breastfeeding experience

[Video] Arun goes to the outdoor enclosure for the first time!
(Date of photo: January 26, 2021)

[Video] Arun practices sharing an outdoor enclosure with Surya
(Date of photo: March 15, 2021)

[Video] Arun weighs 300kg!
(Date of photo: March 30, 2021)

[Video] Arun's Day - Playing in the Mud
(Date of photo: April 15, 2021)

[Video] Arun's Day - Bamboo Shoot Edition
(Date of photo: April 19, 2021)

[Video] A Day in Arun - Bamboo Play Edition
(Date of photo: July 10, 2021)
Tokyo Zoo Volunteers is a volunteer group that operates at Tokyo Metropolitan Zoos, including Ueno Zoo Zoo. They provide animal commentary and guide visitors within the zoos, but currently their activities within the zoos are suspended to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

This time, as part of our volunteer activities, we will be sharing messages from volunteer members who have been following Arun's growth through our website. These messages are also on display in East Garden Elephant Forest" along with announcements from the zoo.

*For more information about Tokyo Zoo Volunteers, please see this page.


Here are some photos and videos showing how Arun celebrated his birthday in good health.


Together with Arun-Uthai, who is celebrating his birthday.
(Date of photo: October 31, 2021)

[Video] Arun's 1st Birthday
(Date of photo: October 31, 2021)
(October 26, 2021)
(October 31, 2021: Title and some text revised; "4. Arun's behavior on his birthday" added)