The jumbo price for Auckland Zoo's new elephant

Auckland Reporter·NZ Herald·

19 Aug, 2015 11:54 PMQuick Read

Auckland Zoo has released some rare underwater footage of their two elephants Burma and Anjalee swimming together. In the footage captured by zookeeper Joel the elephants look almost weightless. Source: NZN Video/Auckland Zoo

The cost of bringing Auckland Zoo's new elephant, Anjalee, to New Zealand in June included $600,000 to build a quarantine facility in Niue.

Documents released by the council under the Official Information Act, show of the $3.2 million cost to acquire two new elephants, $600,811 was used to pay for the facility.

The 1.7-tonne female Asian elephant was brought from Sri Lanka to New Zealand, via Niue for a three-month quarantine, to keep the zoo's 32-year-old female elephant Burma company.

Burma has been lonely since her friend Kashin died in 2009 and the idea is for her to take on the role of matriarch to 8-year-old Anjalee.

The council approved funds of $3.2 million in May 11 to cover all the costs around the acquisition of two elephants.

The quarantine facility will be used for the second elephant.

The $3.2 million cost included $2.2 million for transporting the two elephants, the quarantine costs and $320,000 to upgrade the elephant facilities at the zoo.

The $3.2 million cost is expected to be recovered from additional zoo revenue and reduced operational costs, according to the documents.