CCTV footage captures baby elephant spooning Mum at Blackpool Zoo

CCTV footage has captured the moment a baby elephant snuggled up to her mum as they slept in her zoo pen.

Blackpool Zoo said the “heart-warming moment” happened when one-month-old baby Zaiya and Tara were captured spooning during night.

Officials said it reflected the “deep, protective bond between a mother and her calf”.

Asian elephant calf Zaiya was born on 2 September at the zoo after a pregnancy that lasted two years.

The zoo said it was “thrilled” with Zaiya’s “rare” birth.

The indoor elephant enclosure was closed to the public for nearly a month while the herd developed “crucial bonds” with the calf.

Zaiya was the first successful female elephant birth at the zoo.

The zoo’s director Darren Webster said it was a “truly historic moment”.

He added: “This achievement further reinforces our dedication to the conservation of all endangered species and I could not be prouder of our team.”

Asian elephants have been listed as endangered since 1986, with populations estimated to have declined by at least 50% over the last three generations.