CALGARY – Zoo officials have let loyal patrons know the new home for their female elephants.
The Calgary Zoo first announced plans to relocate their endangered Asian elephants in 2012, saying it’s based on the importance of keeping the animals in a head.
On Monday, Officials shared news that three female elephants – Kamala, Swarna and Maharani – will move the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington, D.C.
Officials had previously announced Ganesh – or Spike as he is best known – will be making his way to sunny Tampa Bay, Florida.
“We have been in lengthy discussions with the Smithsonian’s National Zoo,” says Dr. Clément Lanthier, President and CEO of the Calgary Zoo. “Two of our staff visited the facility and we are confident that they will be able to provide an excellent new home with greater capacity and a more suitable year-round climate for our three female elephants.”
The females are expected to move to the Smithsonian’s newly-developed ‘Elephant Trails’ exhibit where they will be introduced to four other Asian elephants currently living there.
Before Kamala, Swarna and Maharani leave Calgary – elephant staff from the Smithsonian’s National Zoo will spend time in the city to get to know them, and elephant staff from Calgary will travel with them and help them adjust to their new home and caregivers.
They will move in the spring of 2014
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