The St. Louis Zoo in Missouri announced the birth of a male baby Asian elephant, the first of his species to be conceived via artificial insemination at the facility.

Conservationists at a zoo are mourning the loss of two "eagerly anticipated" baby elephants. Blackpool Zoo said a three-day-old Asian elephant calf died on 7 November after contracting an infection due to feeding problems in its first few hours of life.

Jet, a male Asian elephant calf, was born at the St. Louis Zoo about 4:30 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. Photo by Lexie Buchanan, courtesy of the St. Louis Zoo.

The elephant Shanti, 34, gave birth to a 314-pound female baby named Kirby at 3 p.m., according to the Houston Zoo. Zoo officials said she was standing within six minutes, walking 25 minutes later and began nursing within an hour and a half of being born.