Austrian Zoo Announces First-ever Elephant Born Using Frozen Sperm

An Austrian zoo has announced that one of its elephants has successfully given birth to the first-ever baby elephant conceived via artificial insemination using frozen sperm.

According to Schoenbrunn Zoo veterinarian Thomas Voracek, the birth, which took place on Wednesday evening, was "a milestone," The Associated Press reported.

While artificial impregnation of elephants is not unheard of, the use of frozen sperm marks a key step in the preservation of its species as this method allows the sperm to be used over a longer period, according to the news outlet.

Furthermore, the Austrian Times reports that through the establishment of the new technique, which was developed by the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research in Berlin, scientists will be able to widen the gene pool of zoo elephants through the opening of more breeding opportunities.

The newborn elephant was born after a 645-day gestation period and is the second offspring of the elephant Tonga, who last gave birth in 2003, according to the Times. Tonga has lived at Schoenbrunn Zoo since 1998.

"Tonga is one of the leading elephants in our herd and is a very well balanced animal," the Times reports Dagmar Schratter, the zoo director, as saying. "During her birth she was outside with her daughter Mongu."

Currently the mother and baby are being kept away from the public in order to give them a much-needed chance to bond and rest.

According to the AP, the frozen sperm came from Steve, a wild bull elephant at the Phinda game reserve in South Africa's Kwazulu-Natal province.

Zoo officials said they will post three names on the zoo's website, at which point the public will have the opportunity to vote for the name they like most.

To see a picture of the baby elephant, click here.