Twycross Zoo in Leicestershire is getting ready to transfer its all-female herd of Asian elephants to Blackpool Zoo. The move will allow the animals to breed which will help ensure the long-term survival of this endangered species.
Blackpool Zoo will become the new home to Twycross elephants Minbu, Tara, Noorjahan and Esha, in spring 2018. The zoo has recently completed the construction of Project Elephant, a state-of-the-art, multi-million-pound 3-acre enclosure, which will provide a varied and naturalistic habitat for the herd. Elephant friendly features include a landscaped paddock with trees and shrubbery, a deep outdoor pool where the elephants can bathe and a water canon for hot summer days. Indoors heaters mimic the temperature of the elephants’ natural habitat along with a a rain machine, which uses re-cycled water.
Although Twycross Zoo’s current Elephant Creek enclosure meets all of BIAZA’s (British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums) guidelines, Twycross does not have the resources to house a male bull elephant, which would be needed for the family to grow, and two of the four females are currently of breeding age.
Dr Sharon Redrobe OBE, CEO of Twycross Zoo explains: “The decision to move our elephants was not taken lightly; 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 – we look forward to the new developments to be announced soon!”
Darren Webster, Managing Director at Blackpool Zoo, says: ‘We are delighted to be welcoming a new herd of elephants from Twycross zoo after months of working with their team and experts from the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP).
“It has been a very exciting year here at Blackpool Zoo as we have watched our multi-million pound Project Elephant development take shape and we are very proud of our achievement and the opportunity the facility gives us to improve elephant management and welfare.
You can visit Twycross Zoo – and the Asian elephants before they move home – every day from 10am to 5pm, except Christmas Day. For more information and to book tickets visit www.twycrosszoo.org or call 0844 474 1777.
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