Sri Lanka’s first elephant twins in 80 years were born at an animal orphanage

“The babies are relatively small, but they are healthy,” said the head of the orphanage.

According to wildlife officials, on Tuesday, for the first time in 80 years, twin elephants were born in captivity in Sri Lanka.

Reuters reports, a 25-year-old elephant named Surangi gave birth to twin males at the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage. Their father, Pandu, 17, also lives at the orphanage.

Renuka Bandaranaike, head of the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, said that “both the calves and the mother are fine.”

“The babies are relatively small, but they are healthy,” she added.

Sri Lankan elephant expert Jayantha Jayewardene told the magazine that the last set of domestic twins born in the country came in 1941.

Established in 1975, Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage aims to support wild elephants in need of rescue or treatment for injuries. The reserve is currently home to more than 90 species of pachyderms.

Elephants can give birth up to 12 times in their lifetime and tend to give birth to one baby at a time. According to the Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad, the chance of elephant twins is about 1%. 7,500 elephants live in Sri Lanka, according to official reports.