Elephants play football at Knowsley
FOOTBALL playing elephants are not the first thing most visitors to Knowsley Safari Park would expect.
But a scheme dreamed up by elephant staff has seen the massive beasts show off their skills over the summer months.
The elephant house contacted Merseyside Fire and Rescue to see if they had any redundant hose, as a novel way of keeping their ani-mals happy and fit.
Elephant keeper Stephen Cunningham, picked up on a successful scheme at Honolulu Zoo, and spent a couple of hours weaving hose and transformed them into footballs hardy enough to put up with a boot from one of the heavy-footed mammals.
He said: “It’s been a great success, all the elephants love them. And it’s so versatile we’re going to look at where we could use them next.
“We could make bigger versions for the rhinos.”
