OKLAHOMA CITY -- Two Asian elephants from Seattle have finally arrived in Oklahoma City after political opposition, legal challenges and stormy weather.
Bamboo and Chai arrived safely at the Oklahoma City Zoo Wednesday morning around 3 a.m. The animals will undergo multiple check-ups and will be quarantined for 30 days before joining the other five elephants at the zoo. The pair is expected to be the dominant females in the herd.
Zoo staff said 48-year-old Bamboo and 36-year-old Chair are healthy and adjusting to their unfamiliar surroundings.
The elephants' trip began in April after a federal appeals court declined to block the transfer. The move was opposed by animal rights activists and at least one member of the Seattle City Council.
Oklahoma City ended up with Bamboo and Chai because they can be elder females in a multi-generational herd.
"We thought and I think Woodland Park Zoo did as well that both our existing herd and Chai and Bamboo would benefit from youngsters and other animals," said Dwight Lawson, Oklahoma City Zoo executive.
A storm last month diverted the pachyderms to San Diego, where they had stayed for a few weeks. The trip from California to Oklahoma took about 30 hours.
