Thirteen elephants from a United Kingdom zoo will be relocated into the wild in Kenya in what the conservationists have called a world first.
The elephants in question live in Howletts Wild Animal Park in Kent, England which is located southern part of England. The elephants will be flown from UK to Kenya, a distance of 7,000 kilometers. This is according to information released by Aspinall Foundation.
Out of the 13 elephants, 12 were born and raised in Kent while the remaining one was born in Israel. All the elephants have only lived in captivity.
The herd of elephants weigh 25 tons cumulatively and this will be the first time a herd of elephants will be introduced into their wild habitat.
The aim of rewilding is to restore ecosystems to their natural state. The charity organization behind the relocation hopes that the project will discourage the international trade in elephants and encourage return of animals into the wild whenever possible. They added that no elephants belong in captivity.
Aspinall Foundation is working closely on this project with the Kenya Wildlife Service and the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.
“As with any conservation project of this magnitude, there are obviously big risks, but we consider them well worth it to get these magnificent elephants back into the wild where they belong.”
The elephants will be transported in individual cages made to cater for the needs of each elephant. Vets will be available throughout the flight to provide any needed medical attention according to the Aspinall Foundation website. There is an ongoing funds drive for the conservation project.
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