AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Ian JacksonIt looks like the price was right. (Sorry, we had to.)
Bob Barker just spent nearly $1 million to transport three former zoo elephants from Canada and into the Performing Animal Welfare Society's ARK 2000 compound in Northern California.
According to the Sacramento Bee, Iringa, Thika and Toka had all been living at the Toronto Zoo and were moved safely over the weekend after almost four days inside trailers.
The transportation was said to have had special accommodations for the not-so-little ones, including personal handlers and veterinarians on standby.
"This was a triple play," the longtime animal activist said. "It was a real battle and one of our biggest successes."
It's been almost two years now that Barker has been crusading for the elephants to be moved.
Back in 2011, the Toronto City Council voted to send them to the sanctuary after Barker and others lobbied for months claiming that the zoo held insufficient space for the large animals.
And now the three will join eight other elephants in a piece of land that sprawls across more than 2,000 acres in Calaveras County.
The 89-year-old has been so invested, emotionally and financially, in the elephants' journey that he wanted to greet them in California in person.
Sunday evening, they emerged from their trailers and stepped out onto their new home for the very first time.
The major move will take some time for them to get used to, no doubt, but Barker was in complete awe by what had transpired.
"It was more than emotional for me, for all of us," the former Price Is Right host said. "I had tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat. It's hard to believe they are finally here."