Saturday marked a momentous occasion at Disney’s Animal Kingdom in Florida, where officials announced an African elephant calf was born at the park for the first time in seven years.

The elephant is the largest existing land mammal on Earth, weighing anywhere from 4,000 to 10,000 pounds. There are three species of elephants: the African bush elephant (also known as the African ...

The number of African elephants decreased by more than 86% over 31 years, and African savanna elephant populations fell by at least 60% over the last 50 years, according to the ICUN.

Mabu joins two female African elephants, a 24-year-old named Nolwazi and her 9-year-old daughter, Amahle, in the zoo’s 13-acre elephant exhibit, the Fresno Bee reported.

Wild African elephants’ also share a shortened jawbone – a trait shared by many domesticated animals – and show restraint in aggression toward others.

Despite decades of research into African elephants, much research into Asian elephants has lagged behind—which is why our feature, “ The Elephant Next Door,” will focus on this species.