WATCH: Nashville Zoo celebrates birth of new eland Calf

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - While country music is all the rage this weekend, the Nashville Zoo is celebrating the birth and habitat debut of Otis, the four-week-old eland calf.

The zoo says Otis was born on May 9 to third-time mom Indigo and dad, Ochre. The zoo’s hoofstock team reports the birth was extremely successful and Otis was standing and nursing within an hour of being born.

“Otis is Nashville Zoo’s third successful eland birth, including the birth of Olive in spring of 2022 and Murray in the spring of 2021. Nashville Zoo now has 6 eland (3 females and 3 males) in their care including the calf. Otis and Indigo are doing great and can be seen together in the Zoo’s Africa Field habitat with the other eland and species,” Nashville Zoo said.

Eland aren’t endangered in the wild, but the zoo says they participate in the Eland Species Survival Plan, “which helps to ensure genetically diverse populations amongst this species in human care.”

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