Tricia (elephant) facts for kids

Tricia (born 24 January 1957) is an Asian elephant currently residing at the Perth Zoo in Perth, Western Australia. She is known as one of the oldest elephants in captivity in the world. Tricia was born in Vietnam in 1957 and came to Perth in 1963. She is named after Tricia Reschke, who was Miss Australia in 1962, as part of a newspaper competition. In 2018, Perth Zoo announced that it would no longer house any elephants after Tricia dies.

Artwork

Tricia and the other elephants at the Perth Zoo make artwork with their trunks, the proceeds of which go to charity. The elephants paint either by holding paintbrushes in their trunks or blowing paint onto canvas with their snouts. In 2016, a Change.org petition was started by an animal rights activist to stop the elephant-created artwork, claiming that the trainers used bullhooks. The Perth Zoo has refuted these claims. Tricia's likeness has been captured by artist Ross Potter for the Animaze exhibit at the Fremantle Arts Centre.