The Toronto Zoo will soon be short three very large residents after city council voted to send their elephants to a California sanctuary.

Council's Tuesday night 31-4 vote in favour of moving Toka, Thika and Iringa comes amid a controversy over whether Toronto is an appropriate place for such animals to live.

Former game show host and current animal rights activist Bob Barker came to Toronto earlier this year to demand the zoo move the elephants to a warmer climate.

The Toronto Zoo's board of directors later voted to close the elephant exhibit and find them a new home. They had been considering either a U.S. zoo accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquamarines or another zoo in a cold climate.

City council's decision means the pachyderms will go to a warm sanctuary with lots of open space.

Earlier this week, Zoo Check Canada offered to move Iringa, Toka and Thika to the Paws Sanctuary in California free of charge -- a move that would cost the group between $100,000 and $300,000.

The Toronto Zoo is currently owned by the city, but is the target of cutbacks and has been put up for sale to a private owner.

It has also been told to cut its budget by 10 per cent; moving the elephant exhibit would save the zoo more than $600,000 a year.