Animal-rights group In Defense of Animals plans to protest a Chicago-area zoo's decision not to send its lone elephant to a sanctuary.IDA had urged Brookfield Zoo Director Stuart Strahl to send Christy to an elephant sanctuary after the zoo's other elephant, Affie, died May 15.
The zoo is awaiting results of an autopsy. (I don't like to use "necropsy" because it implies a difference between people and animals.)
IDA has speculated that a foot ailment that resulted from walking on hard concrete was the cause of death. A zoo press release stated that the facility had created a sand pile Affie could lean on indoors and had installed special flooring. Veterinarian Elliott Katz, who founded IDA, said both "are often prescribed for elephants suffering from serious foot and joint ailments." Strahl denies a foot ailment caused Affie's death.
Some dispute also exists over how "old" Affie was. Her age isn't in question -- she was either 39 or 40 years old, depending on reports -- but rather if she should be considered "geriatric."
Geriatric care is an increasing emphasis of CZS [Chicago Zoological Society] because animals, on average, are living longer in the care of zoos. The expertise gained from caring for Affie during the past several years will contribute to the zoological community's care of geriatric elephants.This part of the zoo's press release makes it sound like zoo animals are healthier than ever and that Affie's death has a bright spot.
The press release also implies Affie lived much longer than typical elephants.
According to a 2004 scientific study conducted by Robert J. Wiese, Ph.D., and Kevin Willis, the average life expectancy for female African elephants in North American zoos is 33 years. The report further states that this life expectancy value is similar to the life expectancy of wild elephants.While these statistics are true -- poaching is often the reason for the low life expectancy of wild elephants -- a 2008 study in the journal Science reported that the median life expectancy for elephants in a national park in Kenya is 56 years old.
If Affie had had the proper amount of space and an earthen floor, perhaps she could have lived another 10 years. Elephants travel 30 miles a day. The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee is 2,700 acres. In contrast, the animals' exhibit at Brookfield Zoo is only a quarter-acre, according to Katz, and the elephants spend winters indoors.
Sixteen U.S. zoos have closed or plan to close their elephant exhibits. In recent years, zoos in Los Angeles, Anchorage and Philadelphia joined a growing list of zoos that have opted to send elephants to sanctuaries.Instead of following this trend, Strahl has spoken out against "animal extremist groups" and has vowed to expand Brookfield Zoo's elephant program.
The IDA protest of Brookfield Zoo is planned for 11 a.m. Saturday, June 20, at the north entrance of the zoo, at 31st Street and Golf Road in Brookfield.
(Photo of Affie courtesy of Brookfield Zoo. Photo of Sissy courtesy of The Elephant Sanctuary.)
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10 comments:
You could not be any farther from the truth than you are now. First off, part of the press release that you have up is not saying that Affie's death was meaningless, it is implying that the techniques that the Brookfield Zoo had developed for their elephants will help to improve the livelihood of all the elephants in AZA-accredited zoos throughout the United States. Everyone who had cared for Affie was greatly saddened by her loss. Also, unlike the zoos that plan to shut down their elephant program, Brookfield has the space to expand their elephant exhibit. So maybe you should get the facts straight, and encourage people to research and make their own decision before choosing any side.
I'm suspicious of people who seem to believe strongly in what they write, yet hide behind "Anonymous."
I never said the zoo thought Affie's death was meaningless, and I have no doubt that the caretakers were saddened by it.
While Brookfield Zoo may have room to expand -- I don't know how big it will be able to get -- in the meantime Christy is without a companion.
Finally, I want my readers to do their own research and to think critically, and it's an insult to them to assume they don't.
Impossible to have a fair and responsible discussion with any of you extremists whether you are animal rights or animal welfare/zoo.
It's difficult to have a conversation with someone about anything -- whether it be animal-rights related or not -- when I don't know who I'm talking to.
Sanctuaries may have larger space for these elephants but these sanctuaries do not have the veterinary care needed for these animals! There are currently reports that one of these sanctuaries IDA wants Brookfield's elephant to go to actually left an elephant lay dying for 12 days in the field before action was taken. So while these sanctuaries have more room.....their animals are suffering physically in silence. Not to mention Christy the remaining elephant was rescued by Brookfield Zoo after she was living in some guys garage as a baby! Brookfield is the only home she knows, I'm sure she has a close bond with her keepers and I heard she'll have a companion soon.
Oh and results indicate that Affie died from heart disease which is common in geriatric elephants. For those biased scientists in the field who say elephants live until their in their 60-70s......how many of them actually "studied" them for all those years? They do what veterinarians do with stray cats and dogs....they estimate their age based on physical appearance......
Stacey, do you have a link to the report of an elephant left for 12 days? Also, what makes you say the scientists who calculated how long elephants live in the wild (and I'm sure they did more than simply look at their appearance) are biased?
The Tennesee Elephant Sanctuary has on occasion allowed elephants to lie for extended periods of time prior to the animals death. You can read about it on their web page www.elephants.com. It is all there.
The TES has lost 6 elephants in the last two years (no one is up in arms about that). Jenny, Queenie, Delhi, Ned, Bunny and Zula. Queenie and Zula both died unexpectedly while Delhi, Jenny and Bunny were allowed to lie and make their transitions on their own. Again this is all on the web site and talked about openly.
I will let you all decide whether you think it is right or not to allow an animal the size of an elephant to have its weight bearing down on its internal organs for long periods of time.
Ark 2000 in California at least ends the suffering of animals they know will not survive so my vote is to have Christy move to California.
TimD
No mention above of the fact that many elephants are suffering from debilitating illness or injuries upon their arrival at the sanctuary, thus contributing to their shorter lifespans. Why not get "up in arms" that elephants even need to have sanctuaries in the first place?
No mention above of the fact that many elephants are suffering from debilitating illness or injuries upon their arrival at the sanctuary, thus contributing to their shorter lifespans. Why not get "up in arms" that elephants even need to have sanctuaries in the first place?
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