At 3:54am today, a 16-year-old elephant at Budapest Zoo gave birth to a tiny calf under the watchful gaze of the newborn’s big sister, Asha, a caring presence during the whole event. Everyone in the elephant family is fine and healthy, and the cute critter has already taken its first steps. However, the female section of the family now needs to spend a few days in peaceful seclusion while they form the vital first bonds. Visitors to Budapest Zoo will have to wait a little longer before they cast their eyes on this adorable baby elephant.

Excited big sister Asha keeps hanging around the baby elephant, but when her interest becomes a little too eager, her mum quickly pushes her away with her trunk. With the newly expanded elephant family in need of peace and quiet, for the moment the Elephant House is completely closed, caretakers and vets only allowed inside when absolutely necessary. Otherwise, they keep an eye on the baby and family through a camera. Four-year-old Asha was allowed to be present during the delivery as this would be only natural in the wild, and the carers think that watching her mum raise an offspring should be useful for the female elephant in the future.

Budapest Zoo has been keeping elephants since 1875. The newcomer was born today, November 8th, to proud parents Angele, a female from France, and Assam, born in captivity at Chester Zoo in 2000. Angele and Assam brought Asha into the world in 2013, while the newest addition to the family is yet to be named. While the Elephant House is closed, Assam can still be visited but zoo management stresses that visitors should be patient with seeing the new baby until it is ready to be presented to the world.

Update: The baby elephant can be visited from Saturday, November 11th between 10am and 2pm. Follow the Facebook Page of Budapest Zoo for more news.