A miraculous escape

When Germany bombed Belfast as part of the Blitz during World War Two, the massive air raids left more than a thousand people dead. But the authorities were afraid that bombs might not be the only danger to human life – they were also worried about zoo animals going on the rampage.

After the bombing began in April 1941, the authorities feared that a direct hit on Belfast Zoo could allow dangerous animals to escape. So they ordered creatures including six wolves, a puma, a tiger, a black bear, two polar bears and a lynx to be killed.

But one animal was spared – a baby elephant. And the story of her survival amid the death and destruction made her an enduring symbol of hope in the city.