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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