Toronto Zoo's elephants will soon be packing their trunks and heading to a sanctuary in sunny California.
City councillors voted late Tuesday night to move the zoo's three remaining pachyderms to the 32-hectare facility after Coun. Michelle Berardinetti tabled a motion to decide their fate at the meeting.
Five months ago, the zoo's board decided to close the exhibit and move the elephants - named Toka, Thika and Iringa - to an accredited zoo, but Berardinetti argued a sanctuary was a better destination for the animals to spend the rest of their lives.
It's not known when the elephants will be moved.
Before the 31-4 vote, Berardinetti said a group named Zoo Check has offered to cover the $300,000 cost of transferring the elephants to the U.S. sanctuary.
Moving the elephants would save the city roughly $600,000 per year in operating costs.
City council has the authority to direct the zoo's board.
Game show host chips in
The aging elephants have been cloaked in controversy and debate this year as the zoo's management board attempted to find a new home for them.
Former "Price is Right" host Bob Barker, a well-known animal activist, even weighed in on the debate, demanding the elephants be moved to a sanctuary in a warmer climate with more space for them to roam.
Supporters of the move argued Toronto's climate is too cold for the animals and their enclosure is too cramped.
