The National Zoo has received a gift of $2 million from Carlyle Group co-founder David M. Rubenstein to help transfer three female Asian elephants from the Calgary Zoo in Canada to their new home in Washington, D.C.

The funds will cover the costs of the elephants' transportation, their keepers' travel and training, health care and veterinary assessments, facility upgrades, and in situ conservation. The Calgary Zoo announced in 2012 that its four Asian elephants — three females and a male — would be relocated because of the cold climate in Calgary and the elephants' long-term welfare, which will be better served by living as part of a larger social group at a facility with more year-round space. After the three elephants arrive in D.C. next spring, the National Zoo's new $56 million Elephant Trails complex will be home to a herd of seven elephants. The two adult elephants from Calgary previously lived in a Sri Lankan elephant orphanage together with two of the National Zoo animals before they all were transferred to zoos in North America.

The Calgary Zoo said in a statement that it will retain ownership of its elephants "for a period of time to ensure that their long-term needs continue to be met," but zoo director Dennis Kelly told the Washington Post the transfer is likely to become permanent. "Calgary has no intention of taking them back," said Kelly.

Brandie Smith, the National Zoo's senior curator, told the Post she was not sure how the elephants would be transported to Washington. Keepers from Washington will first visit Calgary to get to know the elephants. "We can drive them," said Smith. "We can fly them. There are various ways we can get them here."