Three African elephants at Dutch safari park are pregnant at the same time

Safari park Beekse Bergen is looking forward to welcoming three baby African elephants this year. Elephant bull Yambo impregnated Pina-Nessi, Punda, and Bongi, the safari park said.

Punda is the matriarch of the Beekse Bergen herd. She is 31 and pregnant with her fifth calf. “Punda is the biggest elephant cow of the herd with the biggest tusks. She has a really calm character.” Pina-Nessi is nine years old, and Bongi is 17. Both are pregnant with their first calves. The park described Pina-Nessi as “smart, playful, sociable, and sometimes impatient.” Bongi has “a spicy and impatient character, but can also be very sweet,” the park said.

African elephants are endangered in the wild, and breeding programs in safari parks, zoos, and game farms help ensure their survival. Yambo, the father of all three calves, came to Beekse Bergen in 2021 as part of the breeding program.

“Yambo quickly made himself at home,” the park said. “The matings came quickly, and they were already successful after six months. Pina-Nessi’s udders are already clearly visible after being pregnant for over a year.”