Roger Williams Park Zoo Selects New Home for its African Elephants

Alice, Kate and Ginny. Photo courtesy of Roger Williams Park Zoo.

Yes, it’s true. After gracing us with their kind eyes and silly dance moves  — scroll to the bottom of this article for video evidence — for more than three decades, Alice, Ginny and Kate the African elephants will soon be saying so long to the Roger Williams Park Zoo.

While it’s a move that’s sure to shake the zoo community (heck, it’s been nearly twenty years and I still remember the devastation twelve-year-old-me felt when the polar bears left), it is by far and large a good move for the animals themselves.

“Alice, Ginny and Kate are healthy, and they’ve lived together for nearly forty years. As they reach advanced ages, we want them to continue to live well. That’s why we are now making plans to move them together to a new home where they will have the company of fellow elephants and the care they will need to live out their days comfortably,” said Stacey Johnson, executive director of Roger Williams Park Zoo, during the initial announcement last year.

Photo by Robert Lavoie / courtesy of Roger Williams Park Zoo

He went on to explain that because elephants are social beings who thrive in herds and require long-term companionship, AZA-accredited zoos (like ours) aim to care for them in groups of three or more. As the three Providence zoo residents enter their twilight years, the RWPZ team wants to ensure that none of the elephants unexpectedly end up alone. This proactive decision allows them to begin the process of transitioning Alice, Ginny and Kate to a larger group setting while they are all still in good health.  While their new address has not yet been determined, the zoo is currently working with AZA elephant plan coordinators to find the best home for all girls to remain together. Because the move will require a great amount of planning and preparation — including acclimating the elephants to their eventual means of transportation, and so on — they are expected to remain at RWPZ until late 2027.

But where will they go? On Tuesday, June 30, the zoo announced it has selected The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee as the girls’ new home.

“Our responsibility has always been to do what is in the best interests of Alice, Ginny and Kate, in a setting where they can remain together while having opportunities to engage with other elephants,” says Amy Roberts, chief zoological officer at Roger Williams Park Zoo. “After our team visited the Elephant Sanctuary and saw its approach firsthand, we are confident it offers the environment and care that best meets their needs as they age.”

The sanctuary was specifically chosen for its large natural habitats and experienced elephant care team.

“We are honored to be selected as the future home for Alice, Ginny, and Kate and look forward to welcoming them to The Sanctuary, where they will have opportunities to make choices, build companionship, explore expansive natural habitat, and receive lifelong care in the years ahead,” says Steve Shurter, CEO of The Elephant Sanctuary.

Johnson reiterates that one of RWPZ’s top priorities has always been to keep the three elephants together.

“The Elephant Sanctuary offers an environment designed specifically for elephants and provides opportunities for them to live alongside other elephants while receiving expert care as they grow older,” he says. “Our commitment to Alice, Ginny and Kate doesn’t end when they leave Roger Williams Park Zoo.”

But you don’t have to say goodbye just yet! Alice, Ginny and Kate won’t head south until later next year. If you’d like to get to know them a bit better before your next visit, keep on reading below or check out our intern’s up-close-and-personal encounter with them in 2019 here.

About the Girls

While all three came to the zoo in 1990 and boast intelligent, curious and social qualities, Alice, Ginny and Kate each have very distinct looks and personalities. Here are some fun facts, courtesy of RWPZ.

Alice, Kate and Ginny. Photo courtesy of Roger Williams Park Zoo.

Alice

• Named after the second-ever elephant to join the zoo’s menagerie way back in 1930.
• The smallest elephant of the three.
• Is described as “smart, sassy and motivated by fun more than treats.
• Flexible and a frequent stretcher.
• Enjoys swimming and mud baths.
• Not afraid to stand her ground when others (Ginny, usually) attempt to steal her snacks or toys, despite her smaller stature.

Alice takes a dip. Photo courtesy of Roger Williams Park Zoo.

Ginny

Photo by Kaitlyn Murray

• As smart as she is beautiful.
• Runs on positive praise and treats in equal measure.
• Regularly double checks enrichment devices and feeders to ensure no snacks have been left behind.
• Often joins Alice in the mud.
• Like naps in the sun.
• Very patient with her caretakers.
• Has a bit of a prankster reputation — she’s been found guilty of soaking some guests with the water cannons.

Group swim time. Photo by Andrew Brennan

Kate

• The self-appointed leader of the herd – she maintains order and social stability.
• Her name is short for Ocean State Kate, the result of a community naming competition back in the day.
• Curious, clever and likes to tinker.
• Good at solving puzzles, her favorite being the most complex food puzzles in the habitat.
• Motivated by trust and relationships with the Zoo’s elephant care team.
• Not above the occasional wallow in the mud with Alice and Ginny.

For more information about the zoo and its residents, visit rwpzoo.org.