The Fort Worth Zoo announced the August 18, 2025 birth of a healthy female Asian elephant calf to Bluebonnet and Romeo, joining a rare four-generation herd. She’s now on view at Elephant Springs, marking the zoo’s sixth elephant birth and continued commitment to conservation.
FORT WORTH, Texas – Stop the presses: the Fort Worth Zoo just got a whole lot cuter. At 3:36 a.m. on August 18, 2025, a healthy baby girl made her grand entrance into the world—a 36-inch-tall, 250-pound Asian elephant calf. This little Texan is the daughter of Bluebonnet, the Zoo’s first-ever elephant calf born back in 1998, and Romeo, proud dad of several little ones. That makes her the younger sister of nearly 4-year-old Brazos, and part of a rare four-generation elephant family. In fact, family matriarch Rasha now holds the impressive title of great-grandmother, a distinction few Asian elephants in North America can claim. From the start, this calf was determined to show off: she stood within six minutes, nursed within two hours, and had her trunk under control before sunrise. Bluebonnet, now 26, had top-notch care throughout her pregnancy with weekly blood tests, sonograms, and round-the-clock monitoring from veterinary and animal staff. Since August, mother and daughter have been bonding behind the scenes, swimming, exploring, and meeting the rest of the herd. Now, the Zoo is excited to announce she’s ready for her public debut! Guests can spot her daily in Elephant Springs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., weather permitting. This birth marks the Zoo’s sixth successful elephant calf and reinforces its global leadership in elephant conservation. Since 1998, the Fort Worth Zoo has worked hand-in-hand with the International Elephant Foundation (IEF), the conservation organization founded the same year Bluebonnet was born. Together, they’ve advanced breeding, research, and protection for the fewer than 40,000 Asian elephants left in the wild. “Asian elephants are endangered, and their survival depends on dedicated conservation efforts,” said Ramona Bass, chairman of the Fort Worth Zoo Board of Directors. “Through our breeding program here and our work with IEF worldwide, we are proud to be part of protecting this incredible species.” ###Help Us Name the Baby!### Like every Fort Worth-born elephant before her, this calf deserves a Texas-sized name. To honor her mother Bluebonnet, all the options are inspired by Texas wildflowers: Lady Bird (“Birdie”) – A nod to Lady Bird Johnson, beloved First Lady and champion of wildflowers, whose vision still colors Texas highways. Yellow Rose (“Rosie”) – Inspired by the legendary “Yellow Rose of Texas,” a symbol of courage and independence dating back to the 1830s. Black-eyed Susan (“Susie”) – A hardy Texas native wildflower known for brightening fields with sunshine and joy. Voting is open now through Monday, Oct. 6 at 10 a.m. on the Zoo’s website: fortworthzoo.org/naming-contest. The winning name will be announced Tuesday, Oct. 7 on the Zoo’s website and social media channels.