It's a boy for the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus! A boy elephant, that is. Born on January 19th at the company's Center for Elephant Conservation, the 250-pound calf, named Barack thanks to his inauguration eve birth date, is the first "child" for 14-year-old performance elephant Bonnie – and the first calf born at the Center using artificial insemination. (Bonnie, an Asian elephant, was also born at the Center.) Little Barack is said to be healthy, and experts are conducting blood tests on two male donor elephants to determine which was the father.
Though Ringling Bros. has come under fire for its treatment of animals before, the Circus released a statement reinforcing its commitment to the well-being of its animals. Center founder Kenneth Feld said, "Our priority at Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey is to invest in and support health and conservation programs for captive populations that in the future may help save range country populations. We are thrilled that Bonnie and now Barack are living tributes to our commitment at Ringling Bros."
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