Sutton the elephant moves from West Midland Safari Park to zoo

Sutton has moved to a new home at Noah's Ark Zoo Farm from West Midland Safari Park

A male African elephant named after fundraiser Stephen Sutton has been moved from West Midland Safari Park to a zoo.

The safari park, where Sutton was born, said he would learn bull elephant skills from two older male companions at Noah's Ark Zoo Farm near Bristol.

He would hopefully further support the survival of elephants, it added.

Stephen Sutton, from Staffordshire, raised £4.2m for the Teenage Cancer Trust before he died in 2014, aged 19.

He had visited the safari park in Bewdley, Worcestershire, while undergoing cancer treatment and passed away a few days before Sutton was born.

Hugging an animal larger than himself was on Stephen Sutton's bucket list

The elephant was born on 5 May 2014 and was the first baby elephant birthed at the park.

He started the journey to his new home on Tuesday, a reserve with 20 acres of habitat and a large plantation for him to roam.

Safari park head elephants keeper Andy Plumb said it was a "bittersweet time for me and the elephant team to see Sutton leave us".

He added: "Unfortunately, African elephants face an uncertain future, with the wild population declining, meaning they are listed as 'endangered'.

"Sutton's move to Noah's Ark Zoo Farm will enable him to continue his development and hopefully go on to become a successful breeding bull at another collection in the future, further supporting and protecting the survival of elephants into the future."

Sutton pictured at a week old at West Midland Safari Park

The elephant's move would make way for a bull elephant to be rehomed at the safari park in the "very near future", as a suitable companion for female elephant Five, the Bewdley site said.

It is hoped the pair will successfully breed, furthermore supporting the EAZA Ex-situ Programme for African elephant conservation.

He has been at the Bewdley park since his birth in 2014

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