Sabai is becoming quite an independent and outgoing Asian Elephant. He now weighs 880kgs and will turn two years old in November. When he was born he weighed just 101kgs, so he’s done a lot of growing over the past year and a half.

Sabai is often spotted on exhibit searching for food, playing with logs, chasing birds or talking to the other elephants. Mainly talking with his father Gung or older brother Luk Chai, through an adjoining fence. Although if he gets spooked, he will vocalise and his mum or aunty will come running.

Sabai is still drinking milk from his mother but is really loving solid food as well. He particularly likes hay, carrots, apples, logs and branches. Sabai is a not fan corn though, if a keeper places a piece on his tongue he will take it out with his trunk and throw it over his shoulder!

Like most elephants, Sabai loves the water and enjoys playing in the pool especially in the warmer months and having a warm bath in the barn in winter. When he was younger he use to splash around in a large water trough that keepers would fill up for him to use as a pool.  Now he is bigger he is content with using the pools on exhibit.

Keepers are looking forward to watching Sabai getting the chance to play with Kanlaya, the Zoo’s most recent elephant calf, as she gets older. He is already very curious and interested in her, and mum Porntip often has to remind him to be gentle around her.

By Jackie Cantrell