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| Rare twin elephants born in Kenya | Rare twin elephants born in Kenya |
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| Bora with her two new-born calves | Bora with her two new-born calves |
| Twin baby elephants have been born this week in a rare event at a national reserve in northern Kenya. | Twin baby elephants have been born this week in a rare event at a national reserve in northern Kenya. |
| The male and female were first spotted by tour guides out on safari at the Samburu reserve at the weekend. | The male and female were first spotted by tour guides out on safari at the Samburu reserve at the weekend. |
| They are only the second set of twin calves ever to have been encountered by local conservation charity Save the Elephants. | They are only the second set of twin calves ever to have been encountered by local conservation charity Save the Elephants. |
| The charity says elephant twins account for only 1% of elephant births, with the last known case recorded in 2006. | The charity says elephant twins account for only 1% of elephant births, with the last known case recorded in 2006. |
| Speaking to Reuters news agency, charity founder Dr Iain Douglas-Hamilton said this was a critical time for the calves as the last set of twins born 15 years ago had not survived long after birth. | Speaking to Reuters news agency, charity founder Dr Iain Douglas-Hamilton said this was a critical time for the calves as the last set of twins born 15 years ago had not survived long after birth. |
| Quite often the mothers do not have enough milk to feed both calves, he added, saying everyone had their "fingers crossed for their survival". | Quite often the mothers do not have enough milk to feed both calves, he added, saying everyone had their "fingers crossed for their survival". |
| Mother Bora with her two new-born calves | Mother Bora with her two new-born calves |
| African elephants have the longest gestation period of any mammal. They carry their young for nearly 22 months, and give birth around every four years. | African elephants have the longest gestation period of any mammal. They carry their young for nearly 22 months, and give birth around every four years. |
| The ivory trade and loss of vital habitat have led to elephants being put on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature's Red List of endangered species. | The ivory trade and loss of vital habitat have led to elephants being put on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature's Red List of endangered species. |
| However the elephant population has grown in Kenya in recent years, according to the country's first wildlife census published last year. | However the elephant population has grown in Kenya in recent years, according to the country's first wildlife census published last year. |
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| Rare twin elephants born at Sri Lanka | Rare twin elephants born at Sri Lanka |
| Rare twin elephants born at Sri Lanka |