From a cluster of high rocks in Ceylon's Yala game sanctuary ,W.L.A Andiris ,a forest guard ,witnessed what few humans have seen-a ritualistic birth of a baby elephant.He recorded the experienceFor the Ceylon Department of Wild life:It was obvious that the mother elephant and the eight attending midwives had previously made a careful selection of their maternity room in a clearing adjoining a small lagoon ,well hidden by deep jungle on all sides.
The mother elephant lay on her side in the clearing.The eight attendants surrounded her ,caressing her gently with their trunks.As time of birth approached ,the mother became more and more nervous ,shifting her position in the clearing by taking few steps this way and that,lying down after each movement.Seven of the attendant elephants withdrew into the jungles ,leaving one with the expectant mother.From time to time,the midwives came from the the jungle in pairs to check the mother with their trunks.
Actual birth of the baby was accomplished without any apparent strain or sound from the mother.The mother left the baby and walked about ten paces away.She trumpeted and the other elephants emerged from the jungle ,also trumpeted and caressed her.
Then,while the mother rested on the ground,all eight turned in unison to the child.One gently set it on its feet.Each of the eight in turn moved past the new born baby and blew sand on it with her trunk ,drying its fuzzy hide.Thiz continued for an half an hour.By then the calf stood quite steady.
Now the mother stood up ,trumpeted loudly,and walked swiftly to her tiny child.She lifted the calf with her trunk and took it aside away from the other elephants.Then she gently lowered herself to her knees and permitted her child to have its first meal.
This important event finished ,the mother again trumpeted ,picked up her calf in her trunk ,raised it high over her head ,and disappeared into the jungles escorted by her maternity staff.
