SEATTLE – Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo announced Friday that Asian elephants Chai and Bamboo will be moved to the Oklahoma City Zoo.
The move is expected to happen in late March or early April. The elephants will have to be trained ahead of the 2,000-mile, 35-to-40 hour trip.
Zoo officials said Oklahoma City, "best meets our criteria based on recommendations from animal welfare experts: a social herd of Asian elephants into which Chai and Bamboo may successfully integrate, a state-of-the-art facility, a healthy environment free of active infectious disease, high caliber elephant keeper and veterinary staff, a restricted contact management system, and an established history of stable finances and leadership."
Elephant advocates have fought for years to have the animals removed from the zoo, but wanted them moved to a sanctuary, not another zoo. Seattle Mayor Ed Murray and members of the Seattle City Council reportedly urged the zoo last month to send the animals to a sanctuary.
The Oklahoma City Elephant Habitat has nearly four acres of space for the elephants to roam, according to the zoo.
Watoto, a 45-year-old African elephant, had to be euthanized last August after she was found unable to stand in the enclosure.
