World News for Students of English

01-06-2016 07:00

If you’re having a hard week, just watch this new baby elephant frolicking in his pen! The Dallas Zoo has added a baby elephant to its family and have released this new video of the little guy collapsing in a heap of hay.

A male African elephant calf was born on May 14th to Mlilo, who was one of several elephants rescued from drought-plagued Swaziland earlier this year. The baby elephant, who hasn’t been named, measures 3 feet tall (91 centimetres) and weighs 175 pounds (79 kilograms). His birth, which zoo staff describe as uneventful, is being hailed as a victory for the zoo, who were concerned that Mlilo’s pregnancy could be impacted by the move from Swaziland to Dallas.

At least 17 elephants have been brought to US zoos from Swaziland this year, after experts decided the elephants would perish in Africa due to the lack of water and grass.

After his birth, the baby elephant’s took close to his mother, following her around their pen. While the public are very excited to see this little elephant, he isn’t expected to make his public debut for a few months. Zoo officials say he will spend that time bonding with his mother and the rest of the elephants.

Difficult words: frolic (to play or move about cheerfully), pen (an enclosure – an area for the animal), heap (a mass, a quantity), hay (dried grass), calf (a baby for some large animals), drought (when the weather very dry), -plagued (troubled), uneventful (normal), hail (to call), impact (to change), perish (to die), due to (because of), bond (to get to know somebody), debut (a first appearance).

Source: www.ondemandnews.com