Good news for mother of Melbourne elephant killed in tragic accident
Asian Elephant Num-Oi is due to give birth to a calf in May 2016. (9NEWS) 9NEWS
Melbourne Zoo has announced Asian Elephant Num-Oi is pregnant almost one year after her 11-month-old calf Sanook died.
Zoos Victoria staff were left devastated when they arrived at work on December 4 2013 to find Sanook tangled in his favourite toy, a suspended tyre, which prevented him from breathing.
Director Kevin Tanner said artificial insemination was carried out on Num-Oi by zoo staff and reproductive specialist Dr Thomas Hildebrandt in August.
"The zoo is now 152 years old and elephants have lived here since the 1880s, but it is only recently that any calves have been born here," Mr Tanner said.
"Our first-born calf, Mali, will be five years old in January."
The gestation period for an elephant is approximately 22 months, meaning Num-Oi will welcome her calf in May 2016.
The father of the new calf is 24-year-old first-time father Sulip from Perth Zoo in WA.
The regional breeding program for the endangered Asian Elephants began at Melbourne Zoo and Sydney's Taronga Zoo in 2006.
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