Sedgwick County Zoo’s fourth elephant calf of the year was born at 7:24 on the morning of August 22, 2025, and with her the Wichita zoo closed out a run no accredited zoo in the country has matched.
The calf, a female named Dakari, is the first for mother Zuberi. Dakari means “one who brings happiness” in Swahili. Zuberi gave birth in the company of the rest of the herd, and mother and calf were bonding behind the scenes afterward while staff monitored them.
Four calves in four months
The zoo welcomed four African elephant calves in a little over four months, a record among accredited institutions, and Zuberi was the last of the herd due to give birth.
“This is an exciting and joyous day for our Zoo and our community,” said president and CEO Scott Newland. “Each elephant birth is an incredible achievement, representing hope for the future of this endangered species. We’re proud of our dedicated animal care team and the role they play in the efforts to sustain the African elephant population in North America.”
“Now that our fourth and final calf is here safely, the fun can truly begin,” said elephant care manager Katie Muninger. “We’ve all been holding our breath and crossing our fingers that everything would go well with the final birth and we’re so thankful to have four healthy calves now.”
Part of the elephant SSP
Dakari’s birth falls under the Association of Zoos and Aquariums African elephant Species Survival Plan, the program that manages the long-term sustainability of elephants in human care across accredited zoos.
Guests were not able to see Zuberi and Dakari immediately, as the team gave them private time to bond.
