Elephant fans tune into Belgian on-line birthing



Thousands of elephant fans have registered on an on-line site promising live footage of the first birth of an elephant in Belgium.
Surfers logging on to www.baby-olifant.be can already watch the baby's kicks inside the belly of its mother, Phyo Phyo, an Asian elephant at the Antwerp zoo.



Zoo caretakers are also offering daily updates on Phyo Phyo's pregnancy to the site's 18,000 subscribers -- who will receive an SMS message 48 hours ahead of the expected delivery.
Those interested in elephant trivia can also learn about the animal's legendary memory, the weight of a newborn (between 80 to 120 kilos or 176 to 265 pounds) or the time it takes for an elephant to learn how to use its trunk (six months).
Antwerp's mayor has promised to inscribe the calf's name on the city's official birth registrar.
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Sunday, February 22nd 2009
AFP
           


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