Vic: Elephants to shift to open plain zoo

AAP General News (Australia)
12-02-2008
Vic: Elephants to shift to open plain zoo

MELBOURNE, Dec 2 AAP - Melbourne Zoo's five Asian elephants are to be moved to Werribee
Open Range Zoo for better care and welfare.

The Age newspaper reported that zoo staff agreed the "ideal" option for the care of
the elephants was to relocate them from their enclosure at the Melbourne Zoo at Parkville
to the wide open spaces at Werribee, Zoos Victoria chief executive John Willis said.

The move would take place in the next five or six years, he said.

It is two years since the controversial $2.5 million importation of three Thai elephants
to Melbourne and five years since a Thai-themed "Trail of the Elephants" was completed
at a cost of $15 million.

"There is a discussion taking place on the concept that we need to look at moving them
down to a more open plains; within the next five or six years' time would be ideal," Mr
Willis said.

Early this year Fairfax reported concern among staff and animal experts about mistreatment
of animals at Parkville.

This included the stabbing of one elephant by a handler using a long, thin tool known
as a marlin spike.

In response, the Victorian government established an animal care watchdog body, the
Welfare Peer Review Committee.

AAP jrd/it

KEYWORD: ELEPHANTS

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