Good things come in pairs at Pongola Game Reserve Posted on 5 December 2014 With their oversized ears and miniature trunks, a baby elephant is a wonderful sight. But it gets better. Pongola Game Reserve in KwaZulu Natal was the site of the birth of twins. Curve, a 31 year old cow gave birth to the pair in early December 2014. Curve and her two young calves at Pongola Game Reserve in KwaZulu Natal. Twins happen so rarely that they are almost never seen by researchers. Studies suggest that only 0.5% of pregnant cows carry twins. And even if the twins both survive birth, the likelihood of them surviving to adulthood is remote, at best. No one knows the sex of the calves just yet but Curve, named for her curved tusk, has already given birth to three males. The twins join two more pairs born in the Kruger National Park in 2002 and 2006, both pairs to the same mother, MaMerle. Happily MaMerle calves have all beaten the odds and when they were last identified in December had survived past a year old. Efforts are being made to provide both the twins and Curve with a stress-free environment to minimise the odds of mortality. “This is the best approach. Mortality of one of the twins usually occurs as the increasing demand for milk by two calves cannot be met by the mother and the less dominant of the two calves usually cannot gain access to its share,” says Dr. Ian Whyte, retired Projects Manager at the National Parks Board. Calves weigh around 120kg each at birth. It’s a mammoth task carrying two calves around for nearly 22 months! Curve and friends drink at a watering hole as the young twins enjoy new experiences. Related Posts BBC Earth to air another season of docu-series Dynasties II 22 September 2022 Due to much critical acclaim, the harrowing, riveting and compelling wildlife docu-series, Dynasties II returns... read more Volunteer at Cape Town’s TEARS animal shelter for Mandela Day 11 July 2022 Celebrate Mandela Day and help some animals in need by spending 67 minutes volunteering at... read more South Africa’s rarest: the Knysna seahorse 3 May 2022 Seahorses are adorable, but also play a vital part in the ecosystem. The Knysna seahorse... read more PREV ARTICLE NEXT ARTICLE
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