HE might be "hefty, dark and hairy" but the birth of a baby elephant at the Melbourne Zoo overnight has lifted spirits after the death of another calf just days ago. Asian elephant Dokkoon went into labour soon after midnight and gave birth to her second calf at 2.40am (AEDT). The news is uplifting for zoo staff who last week were shocked at the death of calf Sanook on Wednesday. Weighing a hefty 130kg, the calf was standing within minutes with the help of keepers who supported him in a harness. He is reportedly fit, healthy and strong and was running about within an hour of being born. "It's a great little calf," zoo director Kevin Tanner told reporters. He's hairy and he's dark but he's terrific. The baby, who is yet to be named, suckled for the first time just after 7am. Zoo keepers had been on standby as the calf's mum was overdue and expecting any day. Mum and baby have now been moved from the rest of the herd to bond. The birth follows the death of 11-month-old Sanook who became tangled in a suspended tyre and stopped breathing. Sanook's mother watched the overnight birth with interest, Mr Tanner said. "Her whole personality lifted," he said. Dokkoon is the first elephant in Australia to give birth a second time. The new calf is a baby brother for Mali, the zoo's first-ever elephant calf who was born in 2010. The calf is expected to be on display in days.