A group of up to 18 women in Co Wicklow, made up of skilled knitters, sewers and crocheters, started the project in 2019.

Dublin Zoo team leader Ciarán McMahon, who first met Leonie in 1995 as a young zookeeper, stresses that it is hard to put in to words what she meant to all at the zoo.

Sibu Junior was born in Dublin Zoo but its mother was unable to feed the youngster.

That is according to a spokesman for Dublin Zoo who said today that “Dublin Zoo continues to incur significant costs related to managing the Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpesvirus (EEHV) outbreak”.

Two elephants died from the EEHV disease in July.

The lion, five year old Kushanu, from Edinburgh Zoo joined nine-year-old female Kamala at the Asian lion habitat at Dublin Zoo, which is located beside sea lion cove and close to the red panda habitat

The zoo said the difficult decision to euthanise Betty was taken due to age-related conditions which were negatively impacting her health

Two elephants at the zoo recently died after testing positive for the virus

Dublin Zoo has welcomed Aung Bo, its first bull elephant with tusks, from Chester Zoo in England

Accounts for the Zoological Society of Ireland (ZSI) which operates Dublin Zoo and Fota Island Wildlife Park show that income last year increased to €24.63 million

People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy made the claims in the Dáil on Wednesday

The Wild Lights event runs until January.

Children in Halloween costumes can avail of free entry to Dublin Zoo over the October bank holiday weekend, with a paying adult