Belfast Zoo’s two Asian elephants, Dhunja and Yhetto, are preparing for retirement in the Netherlands at the Royal Burgers’ Zoo in Arnhem, where they will form part of a group of four elderly cow elephants in the European Endangered Species Programme. The move was approved by Belfast City Council last year. The elephants will be crate trained daily ahead of their journey, although there is no fixed date as yet.
The two elephants are both classed as geriatric and moved by the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the European Association of Zoos and Aquariums, Belfast Zoo and the experts from Global Elephant Care. Belfast Zoo has housed elephants for approximately 90 years, with the first elephant, Daisy, being received in 1934.
The elephant enclosure in Belfast has been a site of scrutiny, and the most recent audit in 2019 revealed several issues regarding the facilities and amenities for the animals. The list includes no outdoor pool, scratching posts, and the need for modernisation. Belfast Zoo responded by explaining that there were showers available which the elephants could use, but has not provided any updates on how they will use the vacated space or whether they will consider new elephants in the future.
Anyone wishing to say goodbye to Dhunja and Yhetto can do so at a series of events this week ahead of their departure, and some visitors have expressed gratitude for the chance to see the animals before they leave. There has been no official response on future plans for Belfast Zoo or its elephant enclosure.
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