Figuring out new words 7

Twins at Tarangire Thriving

1. Recently, an elephant gave birth to twins at the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Tarangire Elephant Project in Tanzania. Although conservationists at the park were elated about the exciting addition, they worried. Most elephants have single calves. Multiple births are rare—only about 1% of all elephant pregnancies result in twins, and unfortunately when two calves are born, there’s a tendency for only one to survive. Twin elephants are prone to a variety of challenges. Will the mother be able to provide ample milk for both calves (and sometimes additional siblings that are still nursing)? Will one calf dominate over the other and monopolize the milk supply, not allowing the other to nurse?
2. Since the twins were born, conservationists at the sanctuary have been monitoring their growth. At first they appeared visibly thin and fragile, but it wasn’t long before they grew healthy and robust. The twins, one male and one female, don’t seem to show aggression toward one another, which allows them to nurse peacefully together. In addition, due to the abundance of green grass in the reserve, the mother elephant has plenty to eat, which contributes to healthy milk production. Fortunately, all signs indicate that the elephant twins at Tarangire Elephant Project are now thriving.