PREGNANT ELEPHANT GOING ON DIET

HOUSTON -- A pregnant pachyderm at the Houston Zoo needs to lose about 500 pounds as she seeks to deliver another healthy calf.

The Houston Chronicle reported Monday that Tess the Asian elephant is going on a diet and will be walking up to 2 miles a day.

Large mammals curator Daryl Hoffman says Tess, at more than 7,000 pounds, is about 6 percent overweight. She's nine months pregnant, with normal elephant gestation at about 22 months.

The idea is to add in walks all around the Houston Zoo to help Tess drop pounds.

Hoffman says there's a risk of the calf getting too big and becoming stuck during birth. Tess underwent the same exercise routine while pregnant three years ago. That calf named Tupelo is doing well.