Helping The Elephants One Zoo At A Time

  • by: Patrick Morgan
  • recipient: Dr. Donna Fernandez, President and CEO, The Zoological Society Of Buffalo, Inc.
In light of the recent announcement to expand the Buffalo Zoo's elephant housing facility, I wanted to take this time to share with the community the increasing concerns that zoos world wide are facing regarding captive elephant populations. This information which was carefully researched over the past year, is being presented in a non-biased manner and is intended to solely educate the public on the growing challenges that these magnificent animals face.

With new technology and state of the art facilities, zoos world wide are providing the best and latest husbandry techniques to all of their captive animals. Captive breeding programs have been a great benefit to many endangered species and have even made it possible to reintroduced them back into the wild. As patrons of zoos and the AZA, we need to continue to support and commend their hard work and dedication.  Sadly, more often than not, zoos are just "getting by" financially.  Many zoos are now realizing that their largest residents have ever growing spatial requirements and social needs and the financial upkeep is very difficult to sustain. 

Ongoing
research by biologists, veterinarians and zoo staff regarding captive elephants along with financial decisions, have persuaded many zoos to relocate their populations to sanctuaries in the best interest of the animals, despite the reluctance and sadness of parting with these wonderful creatures by zoo staff and visitors. 

Recently, the Buffalo Zoological Society has asked local taxpayers to fund more than one million dollars to renovate the existing exhibit for their three elephants: Surapa, Buki and Jothi. With threat to loosing accreditation, the zoo's proposal is to update the indoor housing facility from 1,050 square feet to 1,800 square feet, well above the AZA's standards.  However, this is an increase of only 750 square feet or an area of a 25 by 30 foot rectangle. Currently there are no immediate plans to expand the outdoor exhibit area.

As of 2006, more than half of the 78 zoos that exhibit elephants in the US have announced to construct bigger facilities to suite these ever growing needs.  Currently exhibit areas range from 22,000 square feet (about a half an acre like the Buffalo Zoo) to 152,460 (3.5 acres). These are well above the Zoo Association's standards that require only 1800 square feet (.04 acres) of outdoor space per elephant, which is about the size of six parking spaces.

Controversial studies have suggested that zoos are unable to provide the elephants with what is truly necessary for their physical and psychological well-being, regardless of any expansions made. Zoos disagree stating that elephants in the wild roam only in search of food and during the mating season.  In captivity, food is brought to the animals and enrichment encourages these animals to forage as they do in the wild.

Elephants are naturally grazing animals and in the wild will travel 10 to 50 miles per day. Ongoing GPS radio collar studies are showing that female Asian elephant herds have home ranges of up to 250 square miles (160,000 acres) perhaps even larger. This freedom and constant movement is essential for their physical and psychological good health. When confined to small enclosures where such movement is impossible, elephants are at high risk for severe captivity-induced health problems.

Despite meticulous husbandry practices, many captive elephants are suffering from degenerative joint and hip problems, lameness, and chronic foot infections from standing for long periods on concrete or unnaturally compacted surfaces. Constant and wide-ranging movement over varied substrates such as sand, dirt, and grasses is said to be essential for good health in elephants. Many zoos maintain these elephants on a daily diet of painkillers and anti-inflammatory medications to mask these captivity-related ailments. In many cases the elephants are debilitated so badly, that they have to be euthanized.

On October 5, 2006, the Philadelphia Zoo announced to drop plans for a new elephant exhibit citing difficulty in raising the $22 million dollars for zoo renovations. The difficult decision had to be made as plans for the elephant exhibit expansion had run out of time.  The zoo had also determined that short-term renovations to the current site would not serve the long-term interests of the elephants nor visitors. After an extensive study on the future of its four elephants, they sent three African elephants to an expanded habitat at The Maryland Zoo, and lone Asian elephant to the Elephant Sanctuary in Hohenwald, Tennessee.

Zoos are realizing that these proposals for such expansions are also affecting other animals living there by diverting funds and space these animals need. That by sending the elephants to a sanctuary, space, resources, and money will be freed up to improve conditions for other animals, such as the bears and other large ungulates, who also are need of updated exhibits. Philadelphia is the 11th US zoo which decided to close or phase out their elephant exhibit and relocate their animals to a larger facility or sanctuary.

In contrast, sanctuaries such as The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee, and The Performing Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) in California are two of the nation's largest natural habitat refuges developed for endangered African and Asian elephants. Both have a
successful history of healing and restoring quality of life to elephants who have become debilitated from years in captivity. Many zoos in the US have already sent their captive elephants to sanctuaries, more than 2,300 acres of varied terrain, to live out the rest of their lives the way they were meant to. Currently there are no sanctuaries that are AZA accredited.

Note: These animals are not capable of being released back into the wild.  Although captivity is their only choice, we are suggesting that new studies are conducted regarding captive requirements and higher standards need to be for these magnificent animals.
Dr. Fernandez:

I am certain that you are well aware of the growing concerns of captive elephants in zoos and circuses. I feel that the latest announcement by the Buffalo Zoo to update the elephant housing facility is an inadequate move to truly do what is in the best interest of these animals. 

With the growing concern of communities around the globe, I hope The Zoological Society of Buffalo will be encouraged to consider what is in the best interest of it's 3 elephants: Surapa, Buki and Jothi.  As with many zoos, I feel that the Buffalo Zoo will side on the animals welfare and allow these magnificent animals to live out the rest of their years at and elephant sanctuary- perhaps The Elephant Sanctuary In Tennessee. (
http://www.elephants.com/).

I am well aware that although these animals are still captive in a sanctuary, that they are provided a much more free roaming space (4 square miles) and a better climate than what they are facing here in Buffalo.

The Buffalo Zoo is asking taxpayers to fund more than $1 million to renovate the existing exhibit for their three elephants. The zoo's proposal however, is to update the indoor housing facility, and not to expand the outdoor exhibit. The current indoor facility measures 1,050 square feet, while the updated facility will measure 1,800 square feet, well above AZA standards. However, this is an increase of only 750 square feet or an actual measurement of 25 by 30 feet squared.


The current outdoor exhibit is 22,000 square feet or about a half an acre. Unfortunately, both of these facilities inadequately address the vast spatial and social needs of elephants, despite AZA regulations. American Zoo and Aquarium Association standards require only 1800 square feet (.04 acres) of outdoor space per elephant, about the size of six parking spaces.


Elephants are naturally grazing animals and in the wild will travel 30 to 50 miles per day. This freedom and constant movement is essential for their physical and psychological good health. When confined to small enclosures where such movement is impossible, elephants are at high risk for severe captivity-induced health problems.


Captive elephants are suffering from degenerative joint problems, lameness, and chronic foot infections from standing for long periods on concrete or unnatural surfaces. Constant and wide-ranging movement over varied substrates such as hills, dirt, and grasses is essential for good health in elephants. There is no zoo in the world that can provide the needed amount of space for these magnificent animals.


Buffalo's 23.5-acre zoo is home a diverse collection of wild and exotic animals, and more than 320 different species of plants. The elephant proposal will hurt other animals living at the zoo by diverting funds and space these animals need, which includes the zoos already $26 million proposal to complete phase one of its renovations. By sending the elephants to The Elephant Sanctuary, space, resources, and money will be freed up to improve conditions for other animals, such as the bears and larger species, who also suffer in inadequate exhibits.


In contrast,The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee, which was founded in 1995, is the nation's largest natural habitat refuge developed specifically for endangered African and Asian elephants. It operates on 2,700 acres (over 4 square miles) in Hohenwald, Tennessee. Many zoos in the US have already sent their captive elephants to sanctuaries, to live out the rest of their lives the way they were meant to.

Sending our elephants to the sanctuary and permanently closing the elephant exhibit is the best thing the Buffalo Zoo-or any zoo for that matter-can do to show the world it truly cares about animals.


Sincerly;

The Undersigned


With the recognition that zoos cannot adequately provide for the complex needs of elephants, several zoos have closed their elephant exhibits, setting a positive precedent worldwide.


United States 

Gladys Porter Zoo (Texas) 2006 Citing its inability to increase the size of its elephant exhibit, sent its only elephant, Ruth, a 28-year-old African, to another facility.

Philadelphia Zoo (Pennsylvania) Pending as of 2006 Announced that Asian elephant Dulary will retire to a sanctuary and that three African elephants will go to the Maryland Zoo.

Lion Country Safari (Florida) Pending as of 2006 Intends to find new homes for African elephants Stumpy and Mama and then will close its elephant exhibit.

Santa Barbara Zoo (California) Pending as of 2006 Announced that it will not take any more elephants after the current two die.

Bronx Zoo (New York) Pending as of 2006 Announced that when two of its three elephants pass away, the remaining one will be sent to another zoo and the elephant exhibit will close.

Lincoln Park Zoo (Chicago) 2005 After all three of its elephants died within a six-month period, announced that camels will be moved into the empty elephant exhibit.

Detroit Zoo (Michigan) 2004 Citing problems with keeping elephants in captivity, announced its decision to close its elephant exhibit and send the two female Asian elephants—Winky, age 51, and Wanda, age 46—to a sanctuary.

San Francisco Zoo (California) 2004 Announced its decision to close its elephant exhibit and send Tinkerbelle, a 37-year-old Asian elephant, and Lulu, a 38-year-old African elephant, to a sanctuary.

Chehaw Wild Animal Park (Georgia) 2004 Retired Tange and Zula, both 30-year-old African elephants, to The Elephant Sanctuary because the elephants “deserve to live out their remaining years in the very best captive environment possible.”

Henry Vilas Zoo (Wisconsin) 2000 Retired Winkie, a 34-year-old Asian elephant, to The Elephant Sanctuary, and transferred Penny, a 21-year-old African elephant, to Riverbanks Zoo, North Carolina.

Louisiana Purchase Gardens and Zoo
(Louisiana) 1999 Retired Shirley, a 51-year-old Asian elephant, to The Elephant Sanctuary because “[i]t was in Shirley's best interests to retire her to a place that was more suitable.”

Mesker Park Zoo (Indiana) 1999 Retired Bunny, a 46-year-old Asian elephant, to The Elephant Sanctuary.

Frank Buck Zoo (Texas) 1998 Transferred Sissy, a 20-year-old Asian elephant, to the Houston Zoo, then to El Paso Zoo, and finally to The Elephant Sanctuary.

Sacramento Zoo (California) 1991 Sent lone elephant Winky to the Detroit Zoo because the zoo’s elephant enclosure was considered “totally inadequate.”

International

Dudley Zoo (United Kingdom) 2003 Transferred African elephants Flossie and Flora to Planet Sauvage in Nantes, France. (Dudley Zoo had admitted for some years that its enclosure was not appropriate, and fundraising to build a new enclosure was unsuccessful, so the zoo finally decided to find a new home for the elephants and has no plans to have more elephants in the future.)

Longleat Safari Park (United Kingdom) 2003 Closed the elephant exhibit at its 350-acre Wiltshire site and relocated five African elephants to the Zoo Parc de Beauval in France.

Bristol Zoo (United Kingdom) 2002 Euthanized the lone 42-year-old female elephant, Wendy, after years of suffering from arthritis. (She had been kept alone in a tiny enclosure since 1986. Bristol Zoo elected not to replace her.)

London Zoo (United Kingdom) 2001 Permanently relocated three female Asian elephants (Mya, Layang-Layang, and Dilberta) to Whipsnade Wild Animal Park, closing the zoo’s 170-year-old elephant exhibit. (London Zoo’s enclosure had been heavily criticized for years, and a keeper was killed in October 2001.)

Edinburgh Zoo (United Kingdom) 1988 No longer keeps elephants because of fears that captivity may cause harm to the animals.

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