Niue to host baby elephants destined for Auckland Zoo

Transcript

The Niue government has confirmed it will host baby elephants in a new quarantine facility while they transit from Sri Lanka to New Zealand's Auckland Zoo.

Auckland Zoo says it's staff will care for the two new companions for their current elephant, 32 year old Burma, who has been alone since 40 year old Kashin died in 2009.

The Government Secretary, Richard Hipa (Hepa) says a recent visit to Niue by Sir Don McKinnon and a delegation from New Zealand's Ministry for Primary Industries was positive and he's hoping the first of two elephants will arrive in Niue at the end of February.

Jenny Meyer asked him how the work on the elephant house is progressing.

RICHARD HIPA: Probably more than half of the developments on site has been completed.

JENNY MEYER: Where abouts will the elephant quarantine be on Niue?

RH: It is located in one of the villages, Avatele and it is located on Crown Land. But even though it is on Crown Land consultations have been carried out with the people of the village in order to advise on all the developments with regards to the station.

JM: How many of them will there be and how long are they there for?

RH: There's supposed to be two baby elephants. And I believe the first one is scheduled to be here at the end of this month, February. And we're not certain of when the other baby elephant here in Niue. But we are working towards the first one being here the end of February.

JM: How long will they be in quarantine before they can move on to New Zealand?

RH: I believe it's about three or four months but it depends on how things go.

JM: And do they travel by ship?

RH: They will be flown in by plane. This is a special arrangement and I think it's a special plane to carry the elephants. I don't believe it's going to be a direct flight from Sri Lanka to Niue, there's going to be some stopovers. But that is what the New Zealand zoo is arranging for the transportation of the baby elephants. And part of the mission of Sir Don McKinnon's delegation was to look at the airport, look at how we're going to handle the transportation of the elephants on arrival here in Niue. All that has been discussed and plans to do that are in place.

JM: And is there a financial benefit to the Niue Government do you know?

RH: Well in everything there's got to be a cost. So I believe all parties concerned have agreed to the costs for having the elephants here in Niue.

JM: Okay and what's the reaction been in the local community about the impending arrival of these elephants, I guess they'll be quite noisy will they?

RP: No, I think as long as there is consultation. This is not just happening today. It was supposed to happen last year. So there's been some discussion and the developments are in place, it's happening and we'll see when the elephants get here.

JM: And do you know if people will be able to visit the elephants? Like is it a fence that you can see them through? Can the public go and look at them there in Avatele if they want to?

RH: Yeah, yeah, part of the arrangement was to have a watching platform. So the area has been constructed in order to satisfy the requirements of quarantine. At the same time there will be a viewing platform built for people to go and watch the elephants. So this is from outside. But there will be a viewing platform. And I believe there's excitment of people knowing that we will be having elephants in Niue.

Richard Hipa says an environmental impact report has been done for the project.