Sedgwick County Zoo is thrilled to announce the birth of a healthy African elephant calf, marking an exciting milestone for the institution. The calf, a male, was born to mother Talia on April 10, 2025, and both mother and baby are doing well, under the attentive watch of the Zoo’s veterinary and elephant care teams.
His name is Bomani, which means “warrior” in Swahili.
“We are overjoyed to welcome this precious new addition to our Zoo family,” said Scott Newland, President and CEO of Sedgwick County Zoo. “This birth is a significant moment for the Zoo and serves as a symbol of hope for the future of African elephants in our North American population.”
Bomani is already showing signs of curiosity and energy, standing up within his first few minutes of life and exploring its surroundings under the watchful eye of mom and other members of the herd. They will remain behind the scenes for a while to allow for the observation of bonding, nursing, and positive herd behaviors.
This is the first successful elephant birth at SCZ, and is the result of years of careful planning and effort to establish a successful breeding program, which is aligned with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) African elephant Species Survival Plan (SSP) to support the health and sustainability of African elephant populations.
“The arrival of this calf is a celebration of the vital work we do to protect endangered species,” said Newland. “We hope the public will be inspired to learn more about African elephants and the challenges they face, and be part of the solution to help protect them for generations to come.”
For more information about the elephants at Sedgwick County Zoo and opportunities to support our growing herd, visit SCZ.org/elephants and follow Sedgwick County Zoo on all of its social media channels.