Blackpool destination for elephants
TWYCROSS Zoo has revealed when their herd of elephants will be leaving and where they are going.
They announced earlier this year that the popular pachyderms would be leaving Leicestershire because they cannot run a breeding programme.
The big enclosure cannot contain a bull elephant, making it impossible for the animals to breed.
Twycross have confirmed that the elephants will be packing their trunks and heading off to Blackpool.
The herd – named Minbu, Tara, Noorjahan and Esha – will be transferred early in the new year.
Dr Sharon Redrobe OBE, the chief executive officer of Twycross Zoo, said staff would be sad to the elephants go.
“The decision to move our elephants was not taken lightly,” she said.
“We carefully assessed all viable options for our herd, but as Blackpool can now boast to have one the best elephant facilities in the UK, this was the best option and it’s the right thing to do for the long-term survival of not only this herd, but Asian elephants as a species.
“We will of course be sad to see our girls go and our staff will be monitoring their progress as they settle in. As they go we will be making changes at the zoo and we look forward to the new developments to be announced soon.”
The Twycross Zoo elephants will be transported in specially designed steel crates (each weighing 10 tons) that will provide them with the necessary comfort and safety during their journey.
Twycross’ elephant keepers began positive reinforcement training with the elephants in September to get them to voluntarily walk into the transport crates and allow them to get used to standing inside them.
This will make the journey north as stress free as possible when the transfer happens.
In addition, during the build up to transfer day, the elephant team from Blackpool will visit Twycross to meet the herd and help Twycross’ keepers with their daily tasks, to allow the elephants to get used to their new keepers.
Albert Pamies, head keeper of the elephant section at Twycross Zoo, said: “Once our girls are familiar with the crates, and not before, they will be transported to Blackpool Zoo two at a time, with mother Noorjahan and calf Esha travelling together in a crate big enough for both.”
Blackpool Zoo has recently completed the construction of what is widely regarded as a stateof-the-art elephant facility.
Known as Project Elephant, it therefore presents the perfect new home for Twycross’ herd.
Despite Twycross’ current enclosure Elephant Creek meeting all of BIAZA’s (British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums) guidelines, it does not have the resources to house a male bull elephant .
In moving to Blackpool Zoo, the Twycross herd will live with female elephant Kate, and it is intended that once the new herd are settled together, a bull elephant will be introduced to the group.