A police escort has safely seen New Zealand’s only elephant Burma to the airport for her flight to her new “forever home” in Adelaide.
Forty-two-year-old Burma left Auckland Zoo this morning.
A spokesman said officers escorted the truck carrying her through the city.
“This was to ensure her safety, and other road users’, given the transporter travels at a lower speed than the posted limit.
“We’re pleased to advise that Burma’s transport arrived at the airport this morning without incident.”
The Asian elephant was spotted in a crate on the back of a truck-trailer on St Lukes Rd near the intersection with Great North Rd in Mt Albert this morning.
Burma is en route to her new home at South Australia’s Monarto Safari Park.
Auckland Zoo said last week: “On [Tuesday], the zoo’s entire focus is on minimising all disruptions and working to ensure everything goes as safely, smoothly and efficiently for Burma as possible.”
Monarto Safari Park said Burma’s safety was their key priority.
“While Burma is travelling with her trusted keepers, which will help to keep her calm and settled, it’s a long day for her and travelling is not something she’s used to,” the zoo said.
The park asked Adelaide residents to avoid the route Burma will take between the airport and Monarto, adding the public would not be able to see her while she’s in her crate.
The public will be able to see Burma in her new home from mid-December.
South Australia Police are giving Burma a special police escort, the ABC said.
Burma is expected to land in Adelaide about 7.30pm, NZ time.
It marks the end of Burma’s 34 years as a Jafa. She was born in Myanmar (formerly Burma) in 1982 and spent her early years at a logging camp before coming to Auckland in 1990, when she was 8.
Today was not Burma’s first time out of the zoo’s walls. She dropped a large log on her electric fence, disabling it, and escaped, spending time in Western Springs Park and holding up motorists on Great North Rd in January 2004.
In 2020, Auckland Zoo announced its decision to end its elephant programme and move its two remaining elephants — Burma and Anjalee — to new homes with social, multi-elephant herds. Anjalee moved to Australia in 2022, leaving Burma alone here in limbo.
Asian elephants are extremely sociable and typically form groups of six or seven related females that are led by the oldest female, the matriarch, according to World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).
Raphael Franks is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news. He joined the Herald as a Te Rito cadet in 2022.
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