Sri Lanka Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe paid his first visit to New Zealand today and made a trip to Auckland Zoo amid an international stoush over an elephant.
While Wickremesinghe was hosted by Sir Don McKinnon at the zoo, animal advocacy organisation SAFE urged New Zealand Prime Minister John Key to reject the promised 'gift' of an elephant from the Sri Lankan government.
Auckland Zoo currently house elderly elephant Burma, plus another elephant from Sri Lanka, Anjalee, who arrived amongst heavy criticism internationally.
New Zealand was 'gifted' an additional elephant, Nandi, earlier this year, who, it is planned, will join them. Auckland Zoo plans to start a breeding programme, at a cost of millions of dollars to rate payers.