The nine Asian elephants were transported 40 kilometers (25 miles) from Melbourne Zoo in the heart of the city to an enclosure 10 times bigger at the Werribee Open Range Open Zoo, Zoos Victoria said on Thursday.
Elephants trumpeted, touched trunks and flapped their oversized ears upon reuniting with their herd after a complex, five-day move from an urban Australian zoo to a much larger enclosure.
Planning the move began almost two years ago by training the elephants to enter and exit the transport crates, veterinarian Bonnie McMeekin said.
Two mothers with calves plus the herd matriarch followed in three crates on Monday, when the herd was reunited.
“The behaviors that we saw that indicated to us that they felt really comfortable and also excited to see each other were lots of ear flapping, trunk touching, lots of vocalizations,” Gardner told Australian Broadcasting Corp. “So, roaring, trumpeting, tweaks and squeaks.
