A British
zookeeper has shared a fond reunion with an elephant he cared for more than 30
years ago.
Peter
Adamson was instantly recognised by his old friend Kirsty, an Asian elephant
who lived at a Glasgow zoo in the 1970s and 1980s.
Mr Adamson
was a keeper at Calderpark Zoo and looked after Kirsty during the early 1970s,
before she moved away in 1987.
He had lost
track of her when she left Scotland but recently discovered that she had moved
to Germany and arranged to go and visit her.
Back in the
day: Peter Adams with the elephant Kirsty at Glasgow's Calderpark Zoo in the
1980s. Kirsty moved away in 1987 but the pair have been reunited more than 30
years later.
Mr Adamson
touches Kirsty's trunk at their reunion in Neunkirchen in Germany +7
Good to see
you: Peter Adamson is reunited with Kirsty, who zookeepers said recognised the
Scotsman by the sound of his voice, at Neunkirchen Zoo in Germany
The two
shared a warm hug at their reunion in Germany as Mr Adamson stroked the
elephant and Kirsty curled her trunk around him.
Mr Adamson
said: 'Of course, I was wondering if there was any truth to the phrase
"elephants never forget"
'That she
allowed me to get close and accepted me was a very emotional experience for me.
I will always keep that memory in my heart.'
Zookeepers
said the elephant had probably recognised her former minder by the sound of his
voice.
Happy
reunion: The Scottish zookeeper is delighted as Kirsty the elephant wraps her
trunk around him after she recognised his voice from more than 30 years ago
Best
friends: Kirsty and Md Adamson in the 1980s when the former zookeeper revisited
the elephant
The Scotsman
said he will try to visit Kirsty as much as possible now he knows where she
lives.
Kirsty, born
in 1967, has been living in Neunkirchen Zoo in the western state of Saarland
since 2005.
After
leaving Glasgow she had moved to Chester in north-west England where she met
her female companion Judy for the first time.
The pair
later moved to Dublin where they lived together from 1994 until 2005 until
finally being shipped to Germany.
Eye to eye:
Mr Adamson gets a close-up look at the animal he used to care for but had not
seen for more than three decaces +7
Eye to eye:
Mr Adamson gets a close-up look at the animal he used to care for but had not
seen for more than three decaces
'After a
colourful life with several moves around European zoos she has found her
retirement retreat with us,' her current zookeepers said.
The zoo's
website describes her as 'intelligent and willing to learn' but also 'dominant
over members of her species'.
Mr Adamson
had found Kirsty's whereabouts by searching online and made contact with the
German zookeepers through friends in the city of Trier, the zoo said.
Calderpark
Zoo closed in August 2003 after running up huge debts.
Comments
Post a Comment