LOS ANGELES, March 23 (Reuters) - Former "The Price is
Right" host
Bob Barker is spending $880,000 to fly three
elephants to sunny California in style aboard a private cargo
plane.
Barker agreed to foot the bill to move Thika, Iringa and
Toka to PAWS Sanctuary in San Andreas, California from the
Toronto Zoo after growing concerned that Canada's chilly climate
was unsuitable for them. In the wild, elephants live in warmer
weather regions such as Africa and the Indian subcontinent.
"These three elephants have suffered so much for so long and
now they have an opportunity to live the rest of their lives at
what has been described as 'elephant paradise,'" Barker, 88,
said in a statement on Friday.
A representative from the Toronto Zoo was not immediately
available for comment. Thika, Iringa and Toka are the zoo's last
remaining elephants.
The PAWS Sanctuary believes that since one of the elephants
has a foot problem, it might not survive a truck trip and so the
best approach would be to fly the animals to California,
according to a spokesman for Barker.
"To think that one of them might not survive the trip in a
truck touched my heart and purse strings," Barker said.
A Russian-built cargo plane has been chosen for the mission,
which is due to take place before May 15.
Veteran entertainer Barker hosted game show "The Price Is
Right" from 1972 to 2007. An animal lover, he often ended the
show by urging viewers to have their pets spayed or neutered.
(Reporting By Alex Dobuzinskis; Editing by Paul Thomasch)
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