Year: 4 July 2009
Sex: Male
Luk Chai was the first elephant calf born in Australia. He was born after a gestation period of 660 days to Thong Dee who was a former street elephant from Bangkok.
At birth he weighed 96kg’s and will one day weigh in excess of 5000kg’s as he matures into an adult bull.
Just like his father Gung, Luk Chai is full of personality and loves attention & interacting with Keepers.
He is laid-backed, easy-going, cheeky, playful and a fast learner. He is a keen and strong swimmer and often disappears into the deep water of the top pool for long periods, surfacing with a triumphant prize from the deep such as a piece of chewed Cocos log or pineapple plant stump that has fallen in and sunk to the bottom.
Luk Chai is well respected by the whole herd and interacts very well with the other two calves – Pathi Harn & Tukta, often lying on the ground and allowing the two of them to climb all over him.
Luk Chai’s birth heralded a significant step forward in our regions effort to conserve the Asian Elephant as this species is endangered in the wild and faces an uncertain future.
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