By Charles Mgbolu
A rare and heartwarming sight has greeted the New Year in Kenya: a mother elephant with twin calves has been spotted in Shimba Hills National Reserve.
The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) shared the joyous news on social media, celebrating this "double dose of blessings from Mother Nature."
"Double dose of blessings from Mother nature! An elephant with twins was spotted in Shimba Hills National Reserve—a rare and heartwarming sight to kick off the new year. KWS wrote in their announcement on social media, "
The sighting marks only the third documented case of elephant twin births in Kenya in the past three years, highlighting the exceptional rarity of this phenomenon.
Concern for the survival of the African elephant (Loxodonta africana), following the decimation of elephants through the 1970s and 1980s as a result of poaching for ivory, has led to an increased focus on the conservation of the species, the African Wildlife Foundation says.
The news of the twin births is therefore all the more special, as these rare births are estimated to occur in less than one percent of all elephant births, conservationists say.
Twin challenges
Several biological and ecological factors contribute to the rarity of twin elephant pregnancies.
Elephants have the longest gestation period of any mammal, ranging from 18 to 22 months.
Carrying two calves simultaneously places an enormous physical strain on the mother. The demands of nourishing two developing foetuses require significant resources, which can be challenging, especially in environments where food and water are scarce, the African Wildlife Foundation explains.
Furthermore, the size of newborn elephants makes twin births particularly difficult. Even a single calf is large at birth, and carrying two to term puts the mother at increased risk of complications.
A sign of hope
The successful birth and apparent health of the twin calves in Shimba Hills offer a powerful symbol of hope for elephant populations.
"Together, let’s safeguard these gentle giants for generations to come! Karibu, Tutunze Ndovu Wetu Pamoja,” KWS added on X using a Swahili phrase meaning "Welcome, let's protect our elephants together.
Conservationists agree, saying the fact that this is the third such instance in three years suggests that perhaps conditions are improving, or at least being monitored more effectively, allowing for these rare events to be documented.
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