Toronto Zoo Elephant Update- Canada

The Toronto Zoo confirms that Iringa, Toka and Thika were loaded into their individual steel crates and began their journey to California on Thursday, October 17, 2013.

 

Four Toronto Zoo staff members who have been working with the elephants and who assisted with the loading will be traveling with the convoy.

 

Both the Toronto Zoo staff and members of the Active Environments team worked together to ensure the elephants were loaded safely onto the trucks for transport.

 

The three elephants left the zoo around 10:30 p.m. and crossed the border around 5:30 a.m.

 

We are extremely proud of the Toronto Zoo staff who have been so dedicated and committed to these three animals over the years, but particularly for their professionalism throughout the load process which was also a very emotional time. 

 

The decision to move the elephants to the Performing Animals Welfare Society (PAWS) Sanctuary in California was made by Toronto City Council.

 

We wish the elephants and everyone traveling with them a very safe journey. 

 

Toronto Zoo is accredited by CAZA (Canada's Accredited Zoos and Aquariums). Look for this logo whenever you visit a Canadian zoo as your assurance that you are supporting a facility dedicated to providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for you, and a better future for all living things. For more information, visit www.caza.