MFor months Cristina and Neco have been training for the trip to Kronberg, now they have arrived. The African elephant cow and her two-year-old son survived the journey from northern Spain in containers with a water tank, air conditioning and surveillance camera, moved into their new home in the Opel Zoo – and just a few days later they can be seen on the walking surface of the elephant house for zoo visitors.
Upon arrival last Thursday evening, a heavy-duty crane heaved the two containers in front of the gate of the elephant house. Since then it has been important for mother and son to settle into the elephant house and get to know the herd. So the 15-year-old Tamo, who was born in Wuppertal Zoo, the 17-year-old Kariba, who was born in Tierpark Berlin, and the more than 50-year-old Lilak, an original tomboy who, like Kariba, came to Kronberg from Berlin in 2020.
Tamo has lived there for ten years. The newcomers from the Parque de la Naturaleza de Cabárceno near Bilbao initially sniffed them behind the scenes, as the zoo reports: “In the stables, the animals can smell each other and make initial visual or even trunk contact.”
The Spanish nurse has traveled with us
Not to mention the conversations with deep infrasound that humans cannot hear. The head elephant keeper from the Spanish zoo also stayed in the Taunus for a few days for a transition with a familiar person. Now, however, all elephant lovers can look at the newcomers – soon also in the outdoor area.
With the animals from Spain, the Opel Zoo is getting closer to its goal of reestablishing a breeding program for African elephants, which are classified as endangered, says zoo director Thomas Kauffels: “With Kariba and Cristina, there are now two ‘suitable’ cows in the Opel Zoo as Tamo.” According to the announcement, those responsible for the zoo are now “waiting eagerly for further developments”.
