This is a press release courtesy of the Oregon Zoo

Information provided by Mike Keele, elephant expert and Oregon Zoo deputy director. Keele is overseeing the reintroduction of the elephant calf to his mother.

At 2:35 p.m. today, Rose-Tu and her new baby elephant were given visual access to Shine and Chendra, the other female members of the zoo's Asian elephant herd.

The elephants met by means of a "howdy gate," which allowed them to see each other but did not give them access to each others' space. The meeting seemed calming to Rose-Tu, who appeared to be comforted by the presence of her companions in the herd. And indeed, the entire meeting was a much quieter affair than keepers had anticipated.

"We expected roaring and trumpeting, which we haven't heard," said Mike Keele, the zoo's deputy director and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums' species survival plan coordinator for Asian elephants. "The initial introductions were fairly quiet and calm."

The adult elephants all reached their trunks over the top of the gate to make contact with each other. At first Chendra and Shine appeared only to notice Rose-Tu, until the calf began vocalizing with a low rumble.

Shine then inclined her head toward the gate with ears out, and -- as the calf on the other side moved closer -- she lowered her head until it was nearly at eye level with the young elephant.

At another point, the calf vocalized, and Shine moved backward, ears extended, and started chirping. Then when he approached the gate, Shine went down on her two front knees, seemingly another sign of interest.

Keepers believe the meeting was a good first step toward the calf's full integration into the herd.