Former Columbus Zoo elephants arrive at new home in Tulsa
Two elephants that left the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium earlier this month have arrived at their new home in Tulsa, Oklahoma, according to an Instagram post from the Tulsa Zoo.
Connie, a 49-year-old female African elephant, and her companion, 36-year-old male Hank, rolled up to the Tulsa Zoo Wednesday. They'll be staying in the zoo's new Elephant Preserve Barn but might not be visible while they get used to their new home, according to the social media post.
Hank was sent to Tulsa as a part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums "Asian Elephant Species Survival Plan" to keep elephants in North America genetically diverse, The Dispatch previously reported. Officials at both zoos agreed to send Connie with him because of their close bond.
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“We are confident (Tulsa's) dedicated staff and commitment to providing excellent animal care make them the ideal location for Hank and Connie. We look forward to seeing the amazing work our team started being continued at the Tulsa Zoo," Columbus Zoo and Aquarium’s Senior Curator and Director of Animal Wellbeing Adam Welts said in a press release.
Connie lived at the Columbus Zoo from 1992 to earlier this month, while Hank lived there since 2011.
Hank is a "gentle giant" and one of the largest elephants in North America at 9 feet, 5 inches tall with a weight of 8 tons, according to a Columbus Zoo and Aquarium press release.
His role as a breeding male will be filled by Raja, an elephant from the Saint Louis Zoo coming to Columbus later this year. Female elephants Sunny, Rudy and Phoebe and soon to be 3-year-old male Frankie remain at the Columbus Zoo.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Former Columbus Zoo elephants arrive at new home in Tulsa
