Elephants in zoos in the news
March 14th, 2007 by admin
On Monday, the Los Angeles Zoo announced that “Ruby,” a female African elephant would be retired to the Performing Animal Welfare Society’s 75-acre sanctuary in central California. The move to a sanctuary instead of another zoo comes after a long campaign by animal activists. The PAWS sanctuary will provide the space and natural conditions that a zoo never could.
The Los Angeles Times reported that eight major zoos, including the Detroit Zoo and San Francisco Zoo, have placed a total of 11 elephants in sanctuaries.
The story has relevance here in Florida. Last year, Lion Country Safari (a zoo in West Palm Beach) announced that its elephant exhibit will be closed once they find new homes for their remaining two elephants. The two elephants, “Stumpy” and “Mama,” have lived together since the early 1970s. (Learn more here.) ARFF is advocating retirement for the two elephants.
You can help. Please contact Lion Country Safari and ask that the two elephants be transferred— together— to a sanctuary.
Contact:
Terry Wolf, Wildlife Director
E-mail: wolf@lioncountrysafari.com