Sri Lanka gives elephant calf to Auckland Zoo

Sri Lanka gives elephant calf to Auckland Zoo

April 12, 2015   11:28 am

Anjalee the elephant is young, playful and on her way to Auckland Zoo - but not before a quick stop in Niue, where she has become a hit with the locals.

Following a 12-hour flight from Sri Lanka to Auckland, Anjalee flew on to Niue where she will be quarantined for 90 days before heading for Auckland Zoo to keep its other elephant, Burma, company.

The 6-year-old Asian elephant was transported to Niue using a New Zealand Defence Force C-130 Hercules due to her size, and is now under the watchful eye of Auckland Zoo’s Andrew Coers.

Since arriving, Anjalee has enchanted Niue locals, who are given shows and encounter chances using a public viewing platform near her quarantine enclosure.

She is the first of two elephants due to be brought to Auckland Zoo in coming years from Sri Lanka’s Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, which approached Auckland Zoo following the loss of the zoo’s elephant Kashin in 2009.

Asian elephants are an endangered species, with their wild habitat diminishing and population increasingly coming into conflict with human populations, with disastrous results.

Auckland Zoo only accepts elephants which have no prospects for release into the wild. (tvnz.co)

Disclaimer: All the comments will be moderated by the AD editorial. Abstain from posting comments that are obscene, defamatory or slanderous. Please avoid outside hyperlinks inside the comment and avoid typing all capitalized comments. Help us delete comments that do not follow these guidelines by flagging them(mouse over a comment and click the flag icon on the right side). Do use these forums to voice your opinions and create healthy discourse.

Most Viewed Video Stories

President vows to ensure fair prices for farmers and consumers for agri produce (English)

President vows to ensure fair prices for farmers and consumers for agri produce (English)

Govt and opposition politicians react to heavy US tariffs on Sri Lankan exports (English)

Indian PM Narendra Modi arrives in Sri Lanka (English)

LG Polls: 59 petitions against rejection of nomination papers dismissed (English)

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives in Sri Lanka for official visit

Oil prices tumble as China retaliates with tariffs on US; Global stock markets continue to plummet after Trump's tariffs

LIVE🔴 Ada Derana Prime Time News Bulletin 6.55 pm

National 'Aluth Sahal Mangalya' held in Anuradapura under the patronage of President Dissanayake