Elephants pack their trunks for TV documentary on big move

Blackpool Zoo's mammoth new residents are the subject of a new TV show telling the tale of their move from Twycross to their new state-of-the-art home.
A scene from Elephants On The MoveA scene from Elephants On The Move
A scene from Elephants On The Move

BBC documentary Elephants On The Move goes behind the scenes at Twycross as the four female elephants Minbu, Tara, Noorjahan and Esha prepare for the move.

Presenter Mike Dilger follows their epic journey to relocate to Blackpool as part of a European breeding programme.

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But, persuading a family of elephants to get into a giant transportation crate for a three-hour drive north is not that simple.

Mike said: “What a joy for me to be involved with Elephants On The Move as we followed the rollercoaster relocation of a herd of Asian elephants from their old home in the Midlands, to a state-of-the-art facility in Blackpool.

“Watch the tears of sadness, tears of joy and beads of sweat shed along the way as Twycross Zoo bade a fond farewell, while Asia’s biggest beasts were welcomed with open arms to their sunny new retreat up on the Lancashire coast.”

It’s one of the biggest challenges the team of zoo keepers has ever had to face.

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As part of their daily routines the elephants were being trained to get into the crates with treats and rewards after every milestone reached.

Elephants On The Move is part of the Our Lives series of documentaries. It airs on July 23.

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