Meet Fort Worth Zoo’s new baby elephant with the Texas-sized name
.jpg "Sam Houston was born at the Fort Worth Zoo on April 1, 2026. Visitors can see him at Elephant Springs between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. daily.")
Visitors to the Fort Worth Zoo’s Elephant Springs exhibit can now see the newest member of the herd — a male Asian elephant calf born April 1.
Sam Houston, weighing 285 pounds and standing 3 feet tall, is the seventh calf born at the zoo, staff said in a news release Wednesday. He joins big brother Travis, born in February 2023, and half-sister Lady Bird, born in August 2025.
.jpg "Sam Houston and Lady Bird (1).jpg")
“As is tradition for all elephants born at the Fort Worth Zoo, each calf receives a Texas-themed name,” the release states. “Given his remarkable size — the largest calf in Zoo history — it felt only fitting to honor one of Texas’ most iconic figures.”
The calf has been bonding with his mother, Belle, behind the scenes and learning how to swim. Starting Thursday, the public can see him at Elephant Springs between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. daily.
Asian elephants are classified as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List. It’s estimated that fewer than 50,000 are left in the wild. Their number continues to decline due poaching and habitat loss.
The Fort Worth Zoo launched an Asian elephant breeding program in 1986 and spearheaded a conservation organization known as the International Elephant Foundation in 1998.
The addition of Sam Houston brings the zoo’s herd to 10 members, which now includes five males and five females. The calf’s mother, Belle, and aunt, Bluebonnet, were also born at the Fort Worth Zoo.
In 2022, Bluebonnet’s son Bowie was sent to the Oklahoma City Zoo to help grow their herd. Bowie sired a calf there in June 2025, making Fort Worth Zoo’s oldest elephant Rasha a great-grandmother and the matriarch of four generations.
Ramona Bass, chair of the Fort Worth Zoological Association Board of Directors, said the zoo’s goal is to help Asian elephants thrive for generations to come.
“Each birth is a step forward, reflecting decades of dedicated care and specialized expertise,” Bass said in the release. “As part of the natural world, we play a critical role in their future.”
