Makena (elephant)

First elephant born in the Valencian Community (born 2022)

Makena

Species| Loxodonta africana
Sex| female
Born|  (2022-11-09) November 9, 2022 (age 2)
Valencia, Spain

Makena (born November 9, 2022) is an African elephant born at Bioparc Valencia in Valencia, Spain. It is the first elephant born in the Valencian Community.[1]

The elephant was born on day 653 of pregnancy, after 21+1⁄2 months of gestation; the mother, Matla, had been inseminated in January 2021 by a team of German technicians with semen from a wild male.[2] This operation was carried out as part of the European Program for the Conservation of the African Elephant, after the previous year the International Union for Conservation of Nature listed this species as endangered.[3] On November 9, 2022, between 1:00 and 1:30 Matla started having contractions and at 4:20 she gave birth.[4] The birth occurred naturally without complications and with great anticipation from the zoo team.[1]

On the 28th of the same month, a vote was opened to choose her name,[5][6] the winning option was Makena, which means "the one who is happy" in the Kikuyu language.[7]

## References

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1. ^ a b "Naix el primer elefant "valencià" del Bioparc". À punt Media (in Catalan). Nov 9, 2022. Retrieved Dec 17, 2022.
2. ^ Cloquell, Juan Antonio (Oct 10, 2022). "Bioparc València es prepara per al naixement del seu primer elefant". València Extra. (in Catalan). Retrieved Dec 17, 2022.
3. ^ Alcaraz, Pablo (Nov 10, 2022). "Festa a Bioparc València: naix el primer elefant "valencià"". València Extra. (in Catalan). Retrieved Dec 17, 2022.
4. ^ "BIOPARC Valencia welcomes historic arrival of newest elephant". EuroWeekly News. Nov 15, 2022. Retrieved Dec 17, 2022.
5. ^ Cloquell, Juan Antonio (Nov 28, 2022). "Bioparc convida a triar el nom del seu primer bebé elefant valencià". València Extra. (in Catalan). Retrieved Dec 15, 2022.
6. ^ "Bioparc confirma que la cria d'elefant és femella i obri votació per a triar nom: Makena, Meru o Mandisa". Europa Press (in Catalan). Nov 28, 2022. Retrieved Dec 15, 2022.
7. ^ "La cria d'elefant de Bioparc València es dirà Makena". À punt Media (in Catalan). Dec 13, 2022. Retrieved Dec 15, 2022.