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Detroit Zoo Elephants Settle In New Home

Elephant Caregivers Prepare Isolation Area For Animals

POSTED: Tuesday, April 12, 2005
UPDATED: 11:50 am EDT April 12, 2005

Detroit Zoo elephants Winky and Wanda seem to be taking a liking to their new home in California, Local 4 reported.

Their new trainer, Pat Derby, of the Performing Animal Welfare Society in Sacramento, said that Wanda particularly appeared to be eager to explore the surroundings.


Slideshow: See Winky, Wanda In California
Video: See Elephant Truck's Departure

"Wanda took one look at the great outdoors and said, 'I'm out of here. I'm going over there,'" Derby said.

The two elephants arrived at PAWS on Friday morning after a 52-hour, 2,300-mile journey across the U.S.

Their caregivers, veterinarians and some of their favorite toys accompanied them on the trip.

Derby was on hand to greet them as were the facility's elephant caregivers, who had been busy preparing an isolation area in a 20,000 square foot Asian elephant barn, according to the PAWS Web site.

Winky and Wanda will be in isolation near their new companions, Minnie, Rebecca and Annie, for a period of socialization and acclimation, according to the Web site. Their caregivers from the Detroit Zoo will remain with them for a period of time to assist with helping them adapt to their new surroundings.

Wanda and Winky -- which both suffer from arthritis and other ailments of age -- were sent to the California facility so that they could be in a milder climate and have more spacious accommodations.

"They couldn't stay outside for many of the months and I think that's the big difference," Derby said.

The transfer was made possible after an agreement was reached in December by the Detroit Zoo, Columbus Zoo, San Antonio Zoo and the American Zoo and Aquarium Association.

The deal vindicated nearly six months of efforts by Kagan and petitions by local residents to find more room and a milder climate for the elephants.

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