Mystery woman looked after elephant in back yard

Belfast Zoo has launched a bid to identify a mystery woman who looked after one of its elephants in her backyard to save it from German bombs during the Second World War.

The baby elephant, Sheila, was moved out of the zoo because of fears it could be killed or freed to wreak havoc by bombers during the 'Belfast Blitz' of 1941.

She was one of the lucky ones at the zoo, which is built on the hills in the north of the city.

Many animals were killed because of public safety fears of an escape during the bombing.

The Ministry of Public Security ordered 23 zoo animals to be killed in case they got free and attacked people - they included a tiger, a black bear, a lynx, a hyena, two polar bears and six wolves.

Read the full story at the Telegraph

I think it's a little too late to find this woman.  That was a really great thing to do though.  Shame so many amazing animals had to be killed back then in fear they may escape and hurt people.