The Los Angeles Zoo welcomed a 46-year-old female Asian elephant named Shaunzi on June 27 after the elephant was transferred from the Fresno Chaffee Zoo.

Shaunzi traveled the 215 miles from Fresno to Los Angeles in a specially designed crate, and was accompanied by curators, animal keepers and veterinarians from the Fresno Chaffee Zoo. Shaunzi will be quarantined at the Los Angeles Zoo’s Elephants of Asia habitat for the next month so she can slowly get acquainted with her new home and its existing elephants.

Shaunzi was born in Thailand in 1971 and spent much of her youth in the Cristiani Bros. Circus. She arrived at the Fresno Chaffee Zoo in 1983 with another Asian elephant, Kara. The two females were companions until Kara’s death on June 7. Not wanting Shaunzi to remain alone, the Fresno Chaffee Zoo asked the Los Angeles Zoo to provide the female elephant with a home.

“We didn’t hesitate when asked by the Fresno Chaffee Zoo to provide a home for Shaunzi,” said Los Angeles Zoo director John Lewis. “This is an Asian elephant who recently lost her lifetime companion, and we are able to provide her with socialization, excellent care and a state-of-the-art facility where she can live out the rest of her years.”

The Los Angeles Zoo is seeking to expand the size of its elephant herd and Shaunzi will add flexibility to the group dynamic and provide more social options among the elephants, he said. Until Shaunzi joined the herd, the zoo had two female Asian elephants, Tina and Jewel, and one male Asian elephant, Billy.

Staff from the Fresno Chaffee Zoo remained in Los Angeles for three days to work with the Los Angeles Zoo’s animal care staff to ensure a smooth transition.

Shaunzi will be in full view in August.

The Los Angeles Zoo is located at 5333 Zoo Drive, in Griffith Park. For information, call (323)644-4200, or visit lazoo.org.