Tulsa Zoo gives update on new elephants Billy and Tina
Tulsa Zoo gives update on elephants Billy and Tina
The Tulsa Zoo has provided an update on the arrival of its new Asian elephants, Billy and Tina, who recently relocated from the Los Angeles Zoo.
LOS ANGELES - The Tulsa Zoo has provided an update on the arrival of its new Asian elephants, Billy and Tina, who recently relocated from the Los Angeles Zoo.
What we know:
Asian elephants Billy and Tina have arrived at the Tulsa Zoo from the Los Angeles Zoo, according to the latest update from the zoo's Facebook page.
They are currently in a standard quarantine period, kept separate from the other elephants but able to get used to their presence from a distance.
Billy and Tina are spending this quarantine period together and were heard trumpeting upon their reintroduction at the zoo's Elephant Preserve Barn after their journey.
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Zoo officials said the care team is bonding with the elephants and coordinating with the Los Angeles Zoo to facilitate their transition.
While not fully viewable to guests for a while, visitors to the Elephant Preserve Barn may catch glimpses of them.
The elephants arrived in Tulsa, Oklahoma after a 24-hour road trip from the LA Zoo. / Tulsa Zoo Facebook
What they're saying:
In a Facebook post, the Tulsa Zoo shared their appreciation and commitment: "Thank you to the staff at Los Angeles Zoo for sharing their expertise and passion for Billy and Tina with our team. We will continue your legacy of caring for them with excellence, teamwork and individualized attention. To those who know and love our zoo, thank you for being our champions. We will continue to do the work every day as passionate advocates for these amazing animals."
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What's next:
The Tulsa Zoo plans to continue sharing updates about Billy and Tina as they proceed with their transition into their new home.
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The elephants will remain in quarantine for a period and will not be fully viewable to the public until they have fully acclimated.
Billy and Tina have arrived at the Tulsa Zoo. / Tulsa Zoo Facebook
The backstory:
In April, the LA Zoo announced that Tina and Billy would be relocated to Tulsa to live out their days at the newly expanded Elephant Experience and Preserve at the Tulsa Zoo.
The decision was met with some anger and protest. Just last week, a judge denied a request for a temporary restraining order that would have put a temporary stop on a bid by the LA Zoo from moving its last two beloved elephants.
Zoo officials said the decision was made with the animals' care and well-being as the top priority, and the relocation "will afford them the opportunity to live among other elephants."
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Billy is 40 years old and Tina is 59. Contrary to the assumption that Billy has spent his entire life at the LA Zoo, his official biography indicates he was born in Malaysia and brought to Los Angeles when he was four years old. Tina's history also reveals she was reportedly a circus performer before arriving at the zoo as an adult.
Zoo officials have mentioned evaluating the elephant exhibit since the deaths of two other elephants -- Jewel, age 61, in 2023, and Shaunzi, age 53, in 2024 -- although they attributed those deaths to "declining health due to issues unrelated to the zoo's enclosure or care."
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The Los Angeles Zoo confirms Billy and Tina, the two African elephants, have been moved to the Tulsa Zoo in Oklahoma.
Dig deeper:
The Tulsa Zoo houses five Asian elephants and includes a 17-acre area with a 36,650-square-foot elephant barn and a 10-plus-acre wooded elephant preserve.
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Some in the animal rights community say the Elephant Experience and Preserve in Tulsa "was just a fancy name for the somewhat larger elephant enclosure at the Tulsa Zoo in Oklahoma."
The Source: Information for this story is from the Tulsa Zoo, LA Zoo, and previous FOX 11 reports.