Free Billy the Elephant from the LA Zoo

Billy the elephant has been in the elephant exhibit in the LA Zoo for 40 years and was brought to the zoo as a calf. Billy's exhibit is a horrible environment for an elephant because it is so enclosed and restricting on the elephant. Elephant's can walk up to 195 kilometers per day and a minimum of 25 kilometers on a daily basis according to Elephant's for Africa's website. Having such a small and restraining cage does Billy no good, making him show signs of depression by rocking, and drooping its ears and trunk. I remember when I was little it was amazing to see this magnificent elephant but I went in this recent summer in July 17th, 2018 and it wasn't the same feeling. It was disheartening to see these animals depressed and put in these unnatural "habitats" when in reality it is just a cage. Animals do not belong in cages. Billy the elephant should've been free, he could've been where he belongs in the wild, but no, Billy like many other zoo animals, was taken as a baby and has been caged his whole life, 40 years worth and, if not sent to a reserve, Billy will basically have lived and died being caged up. The Los Angeles Magazine, Tamar Brott states that concerned citizens "petitioned the city, which owns the zoo and all the animals in it, to send Billy to a 2,300-acre elephant sanctuary in Northern California. The zoo did not want him to go, however."

Billy the elephant has been mistreated by not being properly taken care of. It has been proven that the veterinarians that are in charge of Billy's health and well being are not even zoo affiliated veterinarians as stated by Tamar Brott. The committee in charge of Billy rejected a report of the office of chief legislative analyst with the concerns that the guidelines in taking care of Billy were not met. Billy should not be caged where he is not properly being taken care of, restained, and depressed. He should be sent to a reserve like the Gondwana Game reserve. The Gondwana reserve has a high success in taking care of the elephants there and as EleAfrica states "The elephants seem to be loving life at this fynbos game reserve, which is the only one in the world of its kind where the Big 5 roam freely. This can be seen due to numerous offspring in the form of adorable elephant claves wobbling around the game reserve, warming hearts of conservationists and guests alike". He should be freed to a reserve for the last few years of his life, as a happy and free elephant.

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