it's a girl!

Houston Zoo welcomes adorable, big new baby elephant

The female calf was born on March 10 to mom Tupelo.

Photo courtesy of Houston Zoo

A birth announcement is always reason to celebrate, and the Houston Zoo has announced a rather hefty birth. Tupelo, a 10-year-old Asian elephant, gave birth to a female calf on Wednesday, March 10 shortly after 11 am. The bouncing bundle of joy weighs in at a whopping 284 pounds, the Houston Zoo reports.

The newborn has yet to be named; the zoo promises that detail will be announced soon on its social media channels.

Tupelo gave birth in the McNair Asian Elephant Habitat cow barn under the supervision of her keepers and veterinary staff, per a press release. Mother and baby will be closely monitored, examined, and will spend several days bonding before they are ready to join the rest of the herd.

During the bonding period, the elephant team is watching for the pair to share several key moments like nursing and hitting weight goals, per a press release.

This is Tupelo’s first calf; she was artificially inseminated as she is related to all male elephants at the zoo. This new calf raises the number of elephants in the Houston Zoo herd to 12 (five males and seven females).

The zoo also welcomed baby elephant Nelson in May 2020.

Visitors to the zoo are supporting its efforts to support elephants in Asia, including support, equipment, and training for local researchers to place satellite collars on wild elephants.

“Our animal team is thrilled that the birth has gone smoothly,” said Lisa Marie Avendano, vice president of animal operations at the Houston Zoo, in a statement. “We look forward to continuing to watch Tupelo and her baby bond and introducing her to Houston.”

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no more trips to Colorado

Bill to legalize marijuana in Texas filed by Dallas Democrat

Photo courtesy of Texas Original

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Texas Rep. Jessica González (D-Dallas) has filed a bill to legalize recreational marijuana in Texas. House Bill 1208 would legalize the cultivation, manufacturing, transportation, and sale of cannabis.

The bill would allow adults 21 and older to use, possess, and transport up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana for personal use. Adults could also keep up to 10 ounces of cannabis in their residence, as long as it is stored in a secure location.

Smoking or consuming cannabis while in a public place or in a car on a public road would not be allowed.

Gonzalez filed the bill in mid-November, one in a suite of bills that also included expanding insurance coverage for in vitro fertilization for LGBTQ couples; and requiring landlords to disclose all fees before a rental lease is signed.

Her bill was filed prior to an initiative launched by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on December 4 to ban THC products in Texas entirely.

In addition to legalizing recreational use, the bill also makes provisions for its production and sale including requiring that the packaging be child-resistent and clearly labeled, so that it's not confused for candy.

Businesses looking to grow, transport, test, or sell cannabis would need to be licensed by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. A 10 percent tax would be imposed on the sale of all cannabis and cannabis products. Some of the profits would go towards funding public schools.

If passed, the bill would take effect on September 1, 2025.

Medical cannabis is currently legal in Texas under the Texas Compassionate Use Program, which allows low-THC cannabis to be prescribed for conditions such as epilepsy, MS, autism, cancer, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Some cities have also approved decriminalization for the possession of four ounces or less of marijuana, including Austin, Bastrop, Dallas, Denton, Elgin, Killeen, and Lockhart.

politics marijuana