When three ageing African elephants left Toronto Zoo in October 2013 after years of debate over their future, television host Bob Barker was waiting in California to welcome them.
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Barker → age → them
The former host of The Price Is Right had reportedly spent nearly $1 million to fund their journey to a sanctuary, hoping to give Iringa, Toka and Thika a different life away from their zoo enclosure.
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Price → spend → enclosure
The Los Angeles Times reported on October 23, 2013, that Barker watched the elephants arrive at the Performing Animal Welfare Society's (PAWS) ARK 2000 sanctuary in San Andreas, California, visibly moved by the moment.
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elephants → report → moment
“I had a lump in my throat, I had tears in my eyes,” Barker said at a news conference after the animals arrived, according to the Los Angeles Times.
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animals → have → Times
For the veteran television personality, the relocation was the culmination of a campaign that had lasted years and involved animal-welfare advocates, zoo officials and Toronto's city council.
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that → last → advocates
A campaign that took years
The decision to move the elephants was not made overnight.
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decision → take → elephants
In May 2011, Toronto Zoo's board voted to close its elephant exhibit and relocate its remaining elephants to an appropriate facility.
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board → vote → facility
Toronto City Council formally adopted a motion on October 24 and 25, 2011, directing zoo staff to arrange the transfer of Iringa, Toka and Thika to PAWS in California.
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Council → adopt → California
The city's official records state that the sanctuary would take responsibility for arranging and paying for safe transportation, subject to permits and applicable standards.
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sanctuary → state → permits
Barker was among the prominent advocates who lobbied for the move.
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who → lobby → move
He agreed to fund the expensive transportation after the relocation effort encountered obstacles.
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effort → agree → obstacles
The amount was reported at nearly $1 million.
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amount → report → million
The campaign also faced delays over the suitability of the proposed destination and the arrangements needed to move the animals safely.
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campaign → face → animals
Toronto City Council revisited the issue in November 2012, reaffirming its decision to send the elephants to PAWS after reviewing the facility.
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Council → revisit → facility
The three elephants had spent decades at Toronto Zoo.
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elephants → spend → Zoo
Their histories, documented in a September 2013 update published by the zoo, show how long they had lived in human care.
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they → document → care
Iringa was born in Mozambique in 1969 and arrived at Toronto Zoo in 1974, when she was about five years old.
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she → bear → 1974
Zoo staff described her as intelligent and sometimes unpredictable.
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staff → describe → her
She was also known for her fondness for younger elephants.
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She → know → elephants
Toka, born in Mozambique in 1970, arrived at the zoo in 1974 at the age of four.
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Toka → bear → four
Her keepers described her as gentle and compliant.
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keepers → describe → her
She gave birth to a calf named Toronto in 1984 and was remembered by staff as a good mother.
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She → give → mother
Thika had a different distinction; she was the first African elephant born in Canada.
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she → have → Canada
She was born at Toronto Zoo on October 18, 1980.
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She → bear → October
Staff described her as energetic, sociable and fond of interacting with other elephants.
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Staff → describe → elephants
By the time of their relocation in 2013, the three animals had spent most of their lives at the zoo.
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animals → spend → zoo
Their transfer was therefore not simply a long-distance journey; it also meant adapting to an unfamiliar environment after decades in a familiar one.
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it → mean → one
A nearly four-day journey
The elephants reached PAWS' ARK 2000 sanctuary on October 20, 2013, after travelling from Toronto in a journey that took nearly four days by truck.
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that → reach → truck
The operation required extensive preparation.
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operation → require → preparation
Toronto Zoo said its staff had been training the elephants for transport and coordinating with PAWS as permits and other arrangements were completed.
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permits → say → PAWS
Handlers and veterinarians accompanied the animals during the trip, the newspaper reported.
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newspaper → accompany → trip
The Toronto Zoo subsequently confirmed that all three elephants had arrived safely.
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elephants → confirm → ?
Staff members were present as the animals were unloaded from individual steel crates.
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animals → unload → crates
The zoo said the elephants had travelled well, eaten regularly and remained calm during the journey.
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elephants → say → journey
For Barker, who was 89 at the time, seeing them arrive was an emotional experience.
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them → see → time
ABC News reported that he had no regrets about the money spent to make the relocation possible.
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relocation → report → money
The former television host had long supported animal-welfare causes and was outspoken about the treatment of animals in captivity.
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host → support → captivity
Barker's contribution to animal welfare
Barker was best known to millions of viewers as the host of CBS' *The Price Is Right*, a role he held from 1972 until his retirement in 2007.
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he → know → 2007
The programme became one of American television's best-known game shows, but Barker also used his public profile to support animal-welfare causes.
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Barker → become → causes
His funding of the elephants' relocation reflected that commitment.
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funding → reflect → commitment
…and 11 more, not listed.
The Aporia
