A NINE-YEAR-OLD bull elephant at Howletts wild animal park near Canterbury is packing his trunk for a new home on the other side of the Atlantic.

Osh, who is affectionately known as "big mouse" because of his huge ears, is heading for a mammoth journey to California.

His destination is the Oakland Zoo where his arrival is being eagerly awaited by three female elephants.

He is being transported in a special, handmade crate, built to size by welders at Port Lympne, Howletts' sister park.

The first part of his journey will be by lorry to Amsterdam where he will be loaded onto his specially-chartered jumbo jet, bound for Los Angeles.

Head elephant keeper at Howletts Dave Magner, who is travelling out to States with Osh, said: "We've got to keep everything very calm and positive for him so that we have no problems on the day.

"I've known Osh since he was born and will miss him but I'm sure he'll settle down in his new home.

"It is sad to see him go but the fact is that he was getting pushed around a bit by the older females in the herd and in the wild he would have gone off on his own.

"There are not many African bull elephants in America and Osh will help with the Oakland's zoo's breeding programme. He will have a very nice environment and a lot warmer weather, of course."

Osh is expected to take some time to settle down to his new surroundings as he is leaving a herd of 14 and joining a much smaller group at Oakland.