Fort Worth Zoo Asks Public to Name Newborn Elephant Calf
FORT WORTH, TX – November 18, 2025 – the Fort Worth Zoo is inviting the public to help name its newest arrival: a healthy female Asian elephant calf born in August. The calf is the latest addition to a remarkable four-generation family, including great-grandmother Rasha, one of only a few Asian elephants of her age in North America.
The calf’s mother is Bluebonnet, the first elephant born at the Fort Worth Zoo in 1998, and her father is Romeo. She has a four-year-old brother named Brazos. Zoo staff report the calf was standing within six minutes of birth, nursing within two hours, and demonstrating excellent trunk control.
Bluebonnet, now 26 years old, received extensive prenatal care including weekly blood tests, physical examinations, and sonograms. Mother and calf bonded privately for several months before making their public debut in Elephant Springs, the Zoo’s state-of-the-art Asian elephant habitat which opened in 2021.
The birth contributes to the Zoo’s long-standing commitment to Asian elephant conservation. The Fort Worth Zoo established the International Elephant Foundation (IEF) in 1998, and has successfully welcomed six elephant calves to date.
“Asian elephants are endangered, with an estimated less than 40,000 individuals remaining in the wild,” said Ramona Bass, chairman of the Fort Worth Zoo Board of Directors. “Recognizing that both species face growing threats and declining populations, we have been specifically committed to the conservation of Asian elephants since 1998, through our dedicated breeding program here in Fort Worth, while contributing to global efforts to protect elephants in the wild through IEF.”
Details on how to submit name suggestions will be released soon via the Fort Worth Zoo’s website and social media channels.
