Is there an elephant in that zoo?

When my 4 1/2 year old daughter asked me if she had ever seen an elephant in real life, I flashed back zoo visits over the past four years.

None. 

We've taken the older three to the zoo, but not the youngest. As a matter of fact, we have probably not come within 50 miles of an elephant in quite a long time.  

Now I was on a mission.  Luckily, we were already planning a trip into London and it presented a great opportunity to show my daughter a "real life" elephant at the London Zoo.

Or so I thought. 

The London Zoo website is pretty informative and I looked at the map to remind myself of the layout and where the elephants are so we don’t miss them. 

There are no elephants on the zoo map. 

There are lions, tigers, camels, gorillas, penguins and many other equally admirable animals, but no elephants.  I quickly went through the animal inventory (yes they have one). It has all the Latin names for animals and occasionally the more colloquial version.  I couldn't find an elephant though, or even an "elephas".

Their sister zoo, Whipsnade, has elephants. Maybe they had had enough of London and demanded a move to the home county.  Who knows?

This post written by Charlene, a Thames Valley Mums Blog founding contributor.

Photo credit: Big Frank

Comments

[NFL Jerseys]

Now I was on a mission. Luckily, we were already planning a trip into London and it presented a great opportunity to show my daughter a "real life" elephant at the London Zoo.