Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Auckland Council reduces planned number of elephants for zoo

Updated at 4:41 pm on 19 May 2011

The Auckland Council is downsizing a plan to import a herd of elephants to the city's zoo.

The idea was approved year but now the number of elephants has been reduced to two.

A $13 million proposal to expand the elephant enclosure to accommodate up to 10 animals was endorsed by the former Auckland City Council last year.

The Auckland Council - which merged eight former councils - says councillors will now consider a revised plan under which two juvenile elephants would join the zoo.

Auckland Zoo has been home to just one elephant, 28-year-old Burma, since her companion, Kashin, died in 2009.

The proposal will be considered at a finance and strategy committee meeting on Wednesday.

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