Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Elephant import plan queried

Updated at 2:23 pm on 21 May 2011

Some Auckland Council members are questioning a revised plan to introduce two juvenile elephants to the Auckland Zoo.

Under the plan, the pair would be in the city by September next year and would help increase the number of visitors to the zoo each year by an estimated 100,000.

The former Auckland City Council last year endorsed a plan to import a herd of elephants.

However, Cr Cameron Brewer does not think there is demand for any more elephants at the zoo.

And Cr Cathy Casey says she remains concerned about how the zoo would be expanded to accommodate the new elephants.

Auckland Zoo is home to one elephant, 28-year-old Burma, whose companion died in 2009.

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