Family reunion after 28 years: The elephant Panang, who has lived at Hellabrunn Zoo since 1995, will return to Zurich Zoo at the end of November – she was born there in 1989; She will now meet her mother Ceyla-Himali again and her previously unknown sister Farha.
Panang’s move to Munich almost 30 years ago had a tragic background: her sister Komali had attacked and injured a zookeeper in the Zurich Zoo. Because there were fears of further attacks, Komali was euthanized. Apparently the zoo expected similar behavior at Panang – so she was removed from the group and sent to Munich.
Now, following a recommendation from the European Conservation Breeding Program, she should return to her old home. “The idea behind it is that elephants in zoological gardens – like their counterparts in nature – live together in matriarchal structures, i.e. in a family group with related elephant cows,” explains zoo director Rasem Baban.
Panang during morning training…
(Photo: Jan Saurer/Hellabrunn Zoo)
… first commands are practiced, then the trunk is rinsed …
(Photo: Jan Saurer/Hellabrunn Zoo)
… and then you can eat.
(Photo: Jan Saurer/Hellabrunn Zoo)
Panang’s departure has been prepared for weeks. The group of elephants completes daily medical training with their keepers, during which various commands are carried out. Panang is then placed in a special heated container for transport. This process is already being practiced so that it becomes routine for the animals and the actual day of departure can be relaxed and calm.
In order to make it easier for Panang to get used to Zurich, two zookeepers from Munich will accompany them for the first few days and show their Swiss colleagues the animal’s characteristics and peculiarities. “We are confident that the family reunion will be successful and that Panang will also feel at home here at Zurich Zoo,” says Cordula Galeffi, the curator responsible for elephants in Zurich. It is expected that Ceyla-Himali (born in 1975) will recognize her daughter even after 28 years and will also convince Farha to accept Panang. To make the reunion easier, dung has already been brought from Panang to Zurich – elephants also recognize each other by smell.
The Kaeng Krachan Elephant Park at Zurich Zoo was reopened in 2014 and is one of the most modern elephant facilities in Europe. Five Asian elephants currently live on site.