HAMILTON, CANADA -- It's been a long time since Chuck Doyle last saw Mali and her mother Targa. The Rosamond Gifford Zoo director says he couldn't be happier with how well the elephants are doing at their temporary home at the African Lion Safari in Hamilton, Ontario.

"They look great, they're healthy, they're happy. We couldn't be more estatic with how they've been treated up here the last couple of years," Doyle says.

Asian elephants Mali and Targa are on loan to the safari in Hamilton while the Rosamond Gifford Zoo expands its own elephant preserve. The African Lion Safari is one of the leading breeders of Asian elephants in the world, and since she has been here Mali has given birth to a baby boy named Little Chuck, who Doyle says is never far from his mother and grandmother's watchful eyes.

"Mali and Targa are always together and they really look after Little Chuck. He is a little independent but they always know where he is and they are very interested in what he is doing," Doyle says.

Little Chuck is the 16th Asian elephant to be born at the African Lion Safari. Doyle says having the elephants stay in Canada has worked out better than anyone could have imagined. "They take long swims in their pond, go for long walks everyday, which keeps them in great physical shape. They are busy all the time and that is just terrific," Doyle says.

Tanya, Mali and Little Chuck are scheduled to return to the Rosamond Gifford Zoo next summer when the zoo opens its new elephant preserve.