Toronto zoo tussles with jumbo issue

From Friday's Globe and Mail Published on Friday, Dec. 11, 2009 12:00AM EST Last updated on Saturday, Dec. 12, 2009 2:26AM EST

For all intents and purposes, the elephants aren't going anywhere.

The death of pachyderm matriarch Tara, 41, at the end of November left the zoo with only three elephants - the minimum required by the American Association of Zoos and Aquariums to keep an exhibit of the extremely social animals.

Several groups have suggested that the death of Tara - fourth elephant the zoo has lost in three years - is an opportunity to end the exhibit and send the remaining animals to roomier sanctuaries in warmer American climes.

But Councillor Giorgio Mammoliti, who sits on the zoo board, said that isn't going to happen.

"To get rid of elephants from the zoo does not make sense."

Instead, the zoo is exploring its options for getting new elephants - likely borrowed from other zoos or traded for other animals or breeding services, for which Mr. Mammoliti said the Toronto Zoo has become well known.

It's a convoluted system of animal equivalencies - "almost like dealing hockey players in the NHL."

The fruits of those first-round draft picks would be the first new elephants the zoo has acquired since it opened in 1974.

Although Mr. Mammoliti said the zoo is open to improving its elephant habitat, some animal-rights activists say it can't be done: Canada is too cold for animals from Africa.

"I suppose if they put a giant dome over 50 or 60 acres and heated that entire area ... maybe. But you and I both know that's not realistic," said Julie Woodyer, campaigns director for advocacy group Zoocheck. "The easiest, most simple and, frankly, most humane thing they could do for those elephants is move them."

Other zoos in similarly cool climates have done the same: Detroit's zoo closed its elephant exhibit in 2005, sending the two animals to a sanctuary in California. Ms. Woodyer said Zoocheck is in consultations with like-minded groups on a campaign to convince Toronto to do the same.

"This is not the end of the road for this, that's for sure."