Zoo's 3 female elephants leaving Atlanta
By TOM SABULIS
Published on: 01/06/06
Say goodbye to more than 12 tons of fun.
Zoo Atlanta's three female elephants, each weighing more than 8,000 pounds, are leaving the facility to go breed at the North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro. They are not expected to return. Instead, they will be replaced with two older female elephants from Disney's Animal Kingdom.
Zoo Atlanta's animals Starlet, Victoria and Zambezi are in their early 20s, considered prime breeding age for elephants. But since Zoo Atlanta has neither male elephants nor adequate space to breed the animals and raise the calves, they must go elsewhere.
The move is determined by the American Zoo and Aquarium Association, which helps manage captive wildlife populations. Atlanta's threesome has been together at the Grant Park facility for about 20 years. They are expected to remain together in North Carolina.
But you still have time to bid farewell. They are not expected to leave before next winter. The Disney elephants Robin, 34, and Petunia, 32 should arrive in early 2007.
