Two Columbus Zoo elephants are expecting in the coming months
Experienced mama Phoebe and first-time mom Sunny are due in the coming months, which has the animal care team on baby watch.
'We've never had this opportunity to even have the ability to have two baby elephants at the same time. We are all-in with sustainability and conservation of Asian elephants and I cannot wait,' said Adam Felts, Senior Curator for the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium.
With any pregnancy, it's a delicate balance of excitement, anticipation and specialized care, which these elephants are receiving around the clock.
'Fortunately, they are months apart, or at least four months apart,' said Dr. Randy Junge, Columbus Zoo's Vice President of Animal Health. 'If the babies have complications or the moms have complications, they can be really intensive cases. If you had two at the same time with complications, it could be really very difficult, but we're not anticipating any problems again both females are healthy.'
Nationwide Arena announces $400 million renovation project
Keeping them healthy and limber is a top priority for the elephant care team members like Laura Garcia, who, on this day, was leading Pheobe in her morning stretches. 'We do call it elephant yoga, and we want to keep our elephants in shape, especially our pregnant and elephants,' said Garcia.
The team also does regular blood draws and ultrasounds to monitor mom and baby's health.
'At this stage, the baby isn't changing much, we just want to monitor and make sure there aren't any changes,' said Dr. Junge.
As the moms-to-be enter their birth windows this summer, the excitement is mounting for everyone.
'It's very exciting that people get excited about this with us because it is such a special experience,' said Garcia.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Solve the daily Crossword
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time Business News
a day ago
- Time Business News
Breakthrough Innovations Transforming Lung Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment
Lung cancer is a type of cancer that begins in the lungs, often caused by smoking, exposure to pollutants, genetic factors or commercial threats. Lung cancer market is increasing due to growing global lung cancer rate, awareness and increase in screening programs, progress in clinical technologies (such as low -dosage CT scans and liquid biopsy) and increasing remedies and development of targeted remedies and immunotherapy. Additionally, better healthcare in aging population and emerging areas is promoting infrastructure and early detection and demand for effective treatment solutions. Key Growth Drivers and Opportunities Growing Global Lung Cancer Rate: Rising global lung cancer rate is a major driver of lung cancer market development, as it increases the demand for early identity, accurate diagnosis and effective treatment solutions. One of the major causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide with lung cancer, healthcare systems are making heavy investments in advanced screening tools such as low-dosage CT scans and biomarker-based diagnosis to enable the first diagnosis. At the same time, rising patient numbers are accelerating the development and adoption of innovative remedies including targeted drugs and immunotherapy. The burden of growing disease also attracts more research funds and industry investment, further fuel to market expansion. Challenges The lung cancer market faces several borders, including advanced diagnosis and high cost of targeted treatments, which can limit access to areas with especially low and moderate income. Delayed diagnosis also disrupts the results of treatment due to lack of awareness, limited screening programs and non-specific initial symptoms. Additionally, the challenge of complex regulatory routes, delayed stage patients, and the challenge of managing side effects from therapy disrupts the market growth despite technological progress. Innovation and Expansion EQUAL Study Launches High-Risk Group Lung Cancer Screening Trial In May 2025, Researchers at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have begun testing a new, in-house blood test in an effort to screen for lung cancer and identify those who are at a higher risk of developing the disease even if they have never used tobacco. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene mutations can be common in the Asian and Hispanic/Latinx populations, which is the subject of the EQUAL (EGFR ctDNA Quantitative Assessment for Lung Cancer screening in Asian and Latinx populations) study. Possessing this mutation increases the risk of lung cancer because EGFR type mutations are linked to the illness. Additionally, the number of cancer diagnoses among Asian or Hispanic/Latinx individuals is increasing at a faster rate. With India's First LungLife Screening Program to Fight Lung Cancer, Apollo Cancer Centre Sets the Standard In March 2025, India's first LungLife Screening Program for early lung cancer diagnosis has been introduced by Apollo Cancer Centres (ACCs), a pioneer in state-of-the-art cancer care. Lung cancer, which makes up 5.9% of all malignancies and 8.1% of cancer-related deaths in India, is the target of this ground-breaking project. Early identification increases the survival rate and improves treatment results (LINK). Low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) early screening can greatly increase survival chances and help with early diagnosis. However, almost 80% of high-risk patients have never spoken to their doctors about screening. To allow early detection and save lives, it is imperative to improve knowledge and communication regarding lung cancer screening, particularly among high-risk individuals. Inventive Sparks, Expanding Markets The key players operating the lung cancer market include AstraZeneca, Hoffman La Roche, Eli Lilly and Company, Pfizer Inc., Merck & Co., Amgen Inc., Novartis AG, Johnson & Johnson, Teva Pharmaceuticals Industries Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb Company. About Author: Prophecy is a specialized market research, analytics, marketing and business strategy, and solutions company that offer strategic and tactical support to clients for making well-informed business decisions and to identify and achieve high value opportunities in the target business area. Also, we help our client to address business challenges and provide best possible solutions to overcome them and transform their business. TIME BUSINESS NEWS
Business Upturn
a day ago
- Business Upturn
Merck Foundation Together with African and Asian First Ladies Mark ‘World Assisted Reproductive Technology Day' 2025 Through Their ‘More Than a Mother' Campaign
Merck Foundation , the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, marks 'World ART (Assisted Reproductive Technology) Day 2025′ together with African and Asian First Ladies, who are also the Ambassadors of 'Merck Foundation More Than a Mother' Campaign, by building and advancing fertility care capacity in Africa and Asia. Business Wire India Merck Foundation has made history by training the first local Embryologists and Reproductive & Fertility Experts in many countries such as The Gambia, Liberia, Burundi, Guinea, Chad, Niger, Sierra Leone, Malawi, and Congo. Moreover, supported training for the staff of First Public IVF Centers in Rwanda, Burundi, Ethiopia, Niger, Bangladesh, and Myanmar. Merck Foundation launched 'More Than a Mother Animation Film' that raises awareness about breaking infertility stigma, infertility prevention and male infertility, watch here: Merck Foundation , the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, marks 'World ART (Assisted Reproductive Technology) Day 2025′ together with African and Asian First Ladies, who are also the Ambassadors of 'Merck Foundation More Than a Mother' Campaign, by building and advancing fertility care capacity in Africa and Asia. Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation and President of 'More Than a Mother' emphasized, "At Merck Foundation we mark World Assisted Reproductive Technology Day by building Fertility and Reproductive Care capacity and empowering infertile women by improving their access to information, change of mindset and quality & equitable fertility care across Africa & Asia as part of our 'More than a Mother' campaign. I am very proud to share that we have provided till today 716 scholarships of Embryology, Fertility and Sexual & Reproductive care to young doctors from 41 countries in Africa and Asia to be the local Embryologists, Fertility & Reproductive care experts in their countries. Moreover, many of our Alumni were trained to be the first local experts in their countries where they never had even a single local embryologist or fertility specialist before our program such as; The Gambia, Burundi, Guinea, Chad, Niger, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Malawi, Congo, Mozambique and more. Together with African First Ladies, and other important partners, we are making history and reshaping the landscape of fertility & Reproductive care across Africa and beyond,' added Dr. Kelej. Merck Foundation 'More Than a Mother' is a powerful campaign that defines interventions to build quality and equitable Reproductive and Fertility Care Capacity, Break Infertility Stigma and Raise Awareness about Infertility Prevention and Male Infertility. Merck Foundation has provided 2280 scholarships for doctors from 52 countries in 44 critical and underserved medical specialties. 'To give an overview, out of our total 716 scholarships for Fertility and Reproductive care, we have provided more than 324 Scholarships for clinical and practical training to Fertility Specialists and Embryologists, and more than 392 Scholarships for PG Diploma and Master Degree in Sexual and Reproductive Medicine, Clinical Psychiatry, Women's Health, Biotechnology of Human Assisted Reproduction & Embryology, Urology, Laparoscopic Surgical skills and Family Medicine to doctors from 41 countries across Africa and Asia. We are proud of this achievement,' added Dr. Rasha Kelej. According to WHO data, more than 180 million couples in developing countries – that is 1 in every 4 couple, suffer from infertility. In many cultures in Africa, infertility is a huge stigma. Women are solely blamed for failing to conceive and the social stigma of childlessness, especially for women leads to isolation and stigmatization and results in discrimination and ostracism. This mostly also leads to divorce or physical or psychological violence. As a part of 'More Than a Mother' Campaign, Merck Foundation has launched many initiatives to break this stigma and create a culture shift. Merck Foundation has also been empowering childless and infertile women through their 'Empowering Berna' initiative under their 'More Than a Mother' movement. This initiative helps women who cannot be treated for infertility anymore by helping them get trained to establish small businesses so that they can be independent and rebuild their lives. Through 'Empowering Berna', the lives of many infertile women have been transformed in many African countries like Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, Central African Republic, Niger, Malawi, and many more. 'It's all about giving every woman the respect and the help she deserves to lead a fulfilling life, with or without a child,' added Dr. Kelej. Moreover, Merck Foundation has trained more than 3700 media representatives from more than 35 countries to raise community awareness and break the stigma around infertility and infertile and childless women. Merck Foundation in partnership with Africa's First Ladies, has also launched 'More Than Mother' Children's storybook to emphasize strong family values of love and respect from a young age which will reflect on eliminating the stigma of infertility and the resulted domestic violence in the future. The storybooks have been localized for each country and in three languages, English, French and Portuguese to better connect with the young readers. The book has also been adapted to an animation film. Watch More Than a Mother Animation Film here: Merck Foundation's pan African TV program 'Our Africa', that is conceptualized, produced, directed, and co-hosted by Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation and features African Fashion Designers, Singers, and prominent experts from various domains with the aim to raise awareness and create a culture shift across Africa, has many episodes dedicated to raise awareness about infertility and breaking infertility stigma. Watch the episodes here: Episode 3: Episode 5: Episode 10: Merck Foundation has also released about 30 songs, many of these songs have been created with the aim to break the infertility stigma, as a part of their 'More Than a Mother' campaign. Listen to some of the songs here: Watch, share & subscribe to the 'Plus qu'une MERE' composed and sung by Ms. Lucky-Lou, the daughter of The President and The First Lady of Burundi: Watch, share & subscribe to the 'More Than a Mother' song by Cwesi Oteng and Adina from Ghana: Watch, share & subscribe to the 'More Than a Mother' song by Zambian Soul Singer Wezi: Watch, share & subscribe to the 'More Than a Mother' song by Sunita Daffeh from the Gambia: Listen to all 'More than a Mother' songs here: 'To address this important issue of breaking infertility stigma and also a wide range of other social issues, we annually launch Merck Foundation 'More Than a Mother' Awards in partnership with African First Ladies. I would also like to invite the African Community of Media, Fashion, Filmmaking, and Musicians, students, and potential talents in these fields to apply for the awards this year by sharing their creative work on [email protected] , ' concluded Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej. Click on the link below to Download Merck Foundation App Join the conversation on our social media platforms below and let your voice be heard! Facebook: Merck Foundation X: @MerckFoundation YouTube: MerckFoundation Instagram: Merck Foundation Threads: Merck Foundation Flickr: Merck Foundation Website:
Axios
a day ago
- Axios
Where it costs the most to give birth
The average total in-network cost of giving birth in the U.S. is about $15,200 for vaginal deliveries and $19,300 for C-sections, per data from FAIR Health, a national independent nonprofit. By the numbers: For vaginal deliveries, Alaska has the highest average cost (about $29,200), followed by New York and New Jersey (both about $21,800). Alaska also has the highest average cost for C-sections ($39,500), followed by Maine ($28,800) and Vermont ($28,700). How it works: The amounts in FAIR's Cost of Giving Birth Tracker include delivery, ultrasounds, lab work and more. They reflect total costs paid by patients and their insurance companies, as applicable. Insured patients' financial responsibilities are typically well below the total amount paid, with average out-of-pocket costs of just under $3,000 in 2018-2020, per a 2022 Peterson-KFF analysis. What they're saying: Many factors drive the differences between states, FAIR Health's Rachel Kent tells Axios, including provider training levels, local salaries and costs of living, malpractice insurance costs and insurers' bargaining power. Between the lines: Black and Hispanic people paid more out-of-pocket for maternal care than Asian and white patients with the same insurance, per a study published earlier this year in JAMA Health Forum.
