Elephant struggles to adjust to Oklahoma zoo

SEATTLE (AP) – Zoo records show that an elephant transferred from Seattle’s Woodland Park Zoo to Oklahoma City Zoo last year has been bitten by her new herd members.

The Seattle Times reports that officials hoped that the older Bamboo would become the matriarch of the Oklahoma clan and that another elephant, Chai, would be like an aunt to Oklahoma’s young elephants.

But Chai and one of Oklahoma’s baby elephants soon died from a viral infection, and zoo records now show that Bamboo has attacked and been attacked by elephants at her new home.

Oklahoma City Zoo spokeswoman Candice Rennels says the incidents are a normal part of establishing dominance hierarchy in a new herd.

A group that opposed the elephants’ move released Bamboo’s records Tuesday.