Lanka’s gracious gift to NZ
View(s):Auckland Zoo has a new arrival – Anjalee, the elephant from Sri Lanka who arrived last week.
Auckland Zoo, New Zealand’s largest used to have two Asian elephants until Kashin died in 2009, leaving the zoo’s sole elephant, Burma, without a companion.
It is well established that elephants like the companionship of other elephants and need the herd atmosphere. It was following Honorary Consul for Sri Lanka in New Zealand, Aruna V. Abeygoonesekera’s initiative in contacting the Auckland Zoo, and offering the assistance of Sri Lanka that today the Auckland Zoo has Anjalee, a companion for Burma.
The Zoo has very caring and dedicated staff and Mr. Abeygoonesekera says he is confident that Anjalee will be well cared for. She has already established a good rapport with her keeper, who spent a considerable time with her before her arrival in New Zealand.
While Anjalee’s arrival is the culmination of hard work by many different people and organisations, she is ultimately a gift from the government of Sri Lanka, through the Department of National Zoological Gardens to the Auckland Zoo, says Mr. Abeygoonesekera.
Anjalee was born at the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage. In March this year, she was flown on an Emirates aircraft from Sri Lanka to Auckland, and then on a NZ Defence Force Hercules to a temporary home in the tiny Pacific Island of Niue where she spent around three months in quarantine. A special viewing area was constructed for locals to view Anjalee who thrived on the tiny Island. One local compared the opportunity to see an elephant in remote Polynesia to the chance of seeing snow on the island!
Last Saturday, a NZ Defence Force Hercules brought Anjalee to Whenuapai airbase from where she was transferred by lorry to Auckland Zoo. The sight of Anjalee setting foot on New Zealand soil at the Auckland Zoo, her adopted new home, was a sight to behold which I will cherish in my memory for a long time, said Mr. Abeygoonesekera. Over 12,000 people of Sri Lankan origin live in New Zealand and Anjalee (translated to gracious gift) would be a living symbol of the strong ties that have been built over the years between two small nations.
Anjalee remains in quarantine for her first seven days in Auckland and will be introduced gradually to Burma.
Sri Lanka has a long tradition of gifting elephants, says Mr. Abeygoonesekera. “That Sri Lanka gifted Anjalee to New Zealand is a reflection of the excellent relationship between the two countries which will only strengthen and deepen over the coming years,” he said.
It is hoped that a second elephant from Sri Lanka will follow Anjalee to Auckland.