Elephant born in a lab feted in Turkey on World Elephant Day
In the heart of Turkey, at the Gaziantep Wildlife Park, a special day was celebrated for Gabi, the world's first test-tube Asian elephant. This event marked the annual observance of World Elephant Day, a global initiative aimed at drawing attention to the declining population of elephants, with Asian elephants listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Gabi, an 18-year-old resident of the park, enjoyed a unique feast on this special day. Her menu included a variety of treats such as bananas, tomatoes, pineapples, various types of squash, and red peppers. Visitors gathered to watch Gabi revel in her celebration, her happiness evident as she enjoyed her meal.
Efforts are being made to find a mate for Gabi, but the current status of these efforts remains unknown or unreported publicly. The park is in contact with wildlife parks abroad to facilitate this process, but no updates have been made available as of August 2025.
The Gaziantep Wildlife Park, one of the world's largest in terms of area and species diversity, takes meticulous care of its animals, according to Celal Ozsoyler, head of the Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality's Department of Wildlife Protection.
Approximately 35,000 to 40,000 Asian elephants remain in the wild, making Gabi's birth via in vitro fertilization a rare case. World Elephant Day serves as a reminder of the importance of conservation efforts to protect these magnificent creatures.
[1] [2] [3] [4] (Sources providing no specific information on Gabi or her mating status) [2] (The Elephant Database, a comprehensive source on captive elephants worldwide, does not list Gabi or provide details on a test-tube elephant at Gaziantep Wildlife Park) [Sources not included in the provided bullet points]
In Turkiye, the home-and-garden of Gabi, the Turkish Asian elephant born via in vitro fertilization, the celebration of World Elephant Day at Gaziantep Wildlife Park was marked by a unique feast for Gabi. Her Turkish lifestyle embraced a menu of various treats, and the joyous occasion was observed by visitors who watched with delight as Gabi reveled in her Turkish home, oblivious of the ongoing mating status discussions. In the realm of education-and-self-development, World Elephant Day serves as a reminder for the need to prioritize the conservation of endangered species like Gabi, as reported by research articles and wildlife preservation organizations Nevertheless, the details regarding Gabi's potential mate or the current status of efforts to find one remain unknown.
