A big act to follow ...

The prospect of London Zoo without elephants is like imagining the Tower of London without its Beefeaters. The majestic creatures have exerted their colossal presence on visitors to the world's oldest animal enclosure for 170 years.

To many, they are the zoo's most recognisable symbol. When they first arrived in the capital, visitors were allowed to ride the elephants to enjoy an Indian safari, giving them a taste of the Raj.

The most famous and popular resident of all was Jumbo - an African bull that arrived in 1865 from the Jardin des Plantes in Paris. Measuring four feet in height when he arrived, he grew to 11 feet.

He became a legend in his lifetime and it is widely acknowledged that it was his presence that introduced the word jumbo - used today to describe anything from aircraft to hot dogs - to the English language.

But, as he grew in size, it was feared that it might be too dangerous for children to travel on his high, broad back - and the zoo's owners controversially sold Jumbo to Barnum's Circus in 1882 for £2,000.

Elephants have come and gone ever since, delighting generations of people who would otherwise not be able to see such an animal in the flesh. But, in the past 50 years - with televised wildlife documentaries, cheaper foreign travel to African game reserves and the advent of animal rights awareness - the thrill of seeing elephants in captivity has diminished.

Nevertheless, today's announcement that elephants will no longer be seen at London Zoo will sadden many patrons.