POOR living conditions for the elephants at Belfast Zoo has been cited as the reason that they are to be transferred to a zoo in Holland.
The last two remaining elephants at the Zoo will be transferred to Burgers' Zoo in Arnhem.
The Director of Economic Development at Belfast City Council told the Council's City Growth and Regeneration Committee that the elephants would be transferred to the Dutch zoo and they would also make strides to continue on a long-term development plan for Belfast Zoo.
AT HOME: Author S Kirk Walsh at the Zoo this year. She wrote a fictional account of the Zoo during the Belfast Blitz
It was decided that regular reports would come back to the Council committee regarding this work as well as an audit on the Zoo to assess its standards and management.
Belfast Zoo needs to meet the standards for all species housed there.
— Cllr Conor Maskey (@conormaskey) September 4, 2023
Tonight’s Council agreed to move it’s only remaining 2 elephants to Holland.
As the Zoo didn’t meet standards required for housing them.
Investment & care for housing ALL species at the Zoo must be priority.
Sinn Féin Cllr Conor Maskey called for investment and a renewed focus on Belfast Zoo.
"It was confirmed in 2019 that Belfast Zoo failed in standards of the body tasked with authorising the housing of elephants (BIAZA – British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums).
"As a city we should always and forever have the welfare of animals that we are custodians of as a priority.
“Animal welfare needs to be paramount for us as a city and therefore we need to agree at Council about our way forward in this regard.
"It's clear that the status quo with regards to the Zoo is not acceptable. We should all be focused on getting the proper investment into the Zoo that protects all species housed at Bellvue and prioritises education for young people and conservation of all animal species."
The elephants at Belfast Zoo are among some of the Zoo's most popular attractions among visitors. A film was made about the Zoo's elephants in 2017 entitled 'Zoo' which was a fictional retelling of Belfast woman Denise Austin's story.
Fearing that the zoo animals might escape during Belfast Blitz, the Ministry of Public Security ordered them to be killed. Baby elephant Sheila however was saved, thanks to Denise Weston Austin who snuck the calf out of the zoo and into her garden each night. (Image Belfast Zoo) pic.twitter.com/iyVTZAWboo
— Quite Interesting (@qikipedia) July 6, 2018
Denise Austin famously hid one of the elephants named Shiela in her own backgarden during the Belfast Blitz to protect it from German bombing raids.
