Get ready for your daily dose of adorable: Linh Mai, the baby Asian elephant at Smithsonian’s National Zoo, is thriving — and a brand-new behind-the-scenes podcast episode released this week lets you hear the full heartwarming story of her first months in Washington, D.C.
Born on February 2, 2026, at 1:15 a.m. to mom Nhi Linh and dad Spike, Linh Mai was the first elephant calf born at the Zoo in nearly 25 years — a historic moment for Asian elephant conservation. She weighed 308 pounds and stood 38.5 inches tall at birth. After a difficult start that required round-the-clock bottle feedings from her devoted keepers, the little calf is now playful, curious and bold: she splashes in the pool, climbs over buoys and romps with her “elephant aunties,” according to the new episode of the Smithsonian’s “Sidedoor” podcast.
Her name was chosen by the public in a Zoo-wide vote and means “spirit blossom” — Linh means spirit or soul, and Mai refers to the apricot blossom celebrated at Lunar New Year.
You can visit Linh Mai at the Elephant Trails exhibit (3001 Connecticut Avenue NW; admission is free with an entry pass; the Zoo is open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.) or wave hello on the live Elephant Cam from anywhere in the world. Grab the family and go meet D.C.’s tiniest celebrity!
Photo: Roshan Patel / Smithsonian’s National Zoo
