Parts of this movie were shot inside the actual Belfast Zoo.
In real-life, Denise was a lot younger than portrayed in this movie and worked in the zoo. She had no family. She died on July 17, 1997, was cremated and buried in Ardess graveyard near Kesh, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. A small stone elephant was placed on her grave earlier this year in memory of her actions during the Belfast Blitz.
PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) campaigned to halt the production entirely. Their concern stemmed from the use of a live elephant in the film, posing a potential risk to the animal, instead of opting for a computer-generated alternative.
