Editorial: Farewell to a much-loved friend

Elephant keeper Andrew Coers mourns the loss of Kashin with Burma, Auckland Zoo's remaining elephant. Photo / Herald on Sunday

Indian elephants have always been the superstars of Auckland Zoo. Throughout the Great Depression, the war and post-war years, Jamuna was an unmissable attraction, taking generations of kids for swaying walks on a specially designed saddle.

When she died in 1965, the kids had to do without a pachyderm pal for seven long years until Kashin arrived. Professional practice had developed a bit by then: the chimps were no longer having tea parties and the newcomer elephant did not have to submit to the same child-bearing indignity, but she was always a favourite with the youngsters and an iconic part of the zoo's brand.

The massive improvements at the facility over the years, and an upsurge in custom sparked by a successful TV series only deepened her popularity and with the arrival of Burma in 1990, an enduring double act was born.

Sadly, this week it came to an end. Though not yet middle-aged, Kashin, crippled by arthritis and abscesses and in obvious pain, had to be put down and for Aucklanders it felt like there had been a death in the family.

Her passing leaves a huge gap in the life of the zoo and its patrons - not to mention that of 26-year-old Burma who will be mourning her best mate. And she may be doing so for some time. The import of another elephant is a significant biosecurity challenge and formulating the protocols, a process the zoo sector has a role in driving, is a lengthy undertaking.

It may seem as though red tape could be easily cut through and MAF's biosecurity boffins advise that if the zoo found an elephant in a low-risk country such as the US or Australia the process could be fast-tracked. But since Indian elephants are notorious carriers of livestock disease like bluetongue and foot-and-mouth disease, their caution seems hard to argue with.

In the meantime, a free open day at the zoo today will give Kashin's adoring public a one-day-only opportunity to pay their respects at her grave site - and to take part in a celebration of a remarkable if cruelly truncated life. It's a fitting tribute to a fine Aucklander - and a day to contemplate the end of an era.