RCAF asked to help transport three Toronto zoo elephants to California

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Thika, one of the Toronto Zoo\'s three elephants, walks around it\'s enclosure in this May 12, 2011 photo. The Royal Canadian Air Force is being asked to move three Toronto-based elephants to a new home in California, a national zoo watchdog said Thursday. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Pat Hewitt

TORONTO – An official with a zoo watchdog says the Royal Canadian Air Force has been asked to help transport three elephants from Toronto to their new home in California.

Julie Woodyer of Zoo Check Canada says she personally asked the RCAF to provide a C17 jet that could transport the animals from the Toronto zoo to a sanctuary in San Andreas, Calif.

Woodyer says she attended a meeting with zoo and Air Force officials this morning to discuss possible arrangements.

She says she enlisted the RCAF’s help because there are no fully pressurized commercial planes large enough to carry the animals in their crates.

She says Defence Minister Peter MacKay will ultimately decide if the Air Force will get involved.

Neither the Toronto Zoo nor the Ministry of Defence were immediately available for comment.

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