Watani Grasslands--North Carolina Zoo, one of the top 10 in the United States.

A 3-year-old girl with curly blond hair sporting an "I Belong In The Zoo" T-shirt scurries to an overlook at the North Carolina Zoo and stares up into the huge brown eyes of "C'sar," a 10-foot-tall, 13,000-pound African elephant grazing just 30 feet away.

...........Despite the incredible advances in digital television, computer-enhanced imaging on the Internet and wide-format nature films, the exchanged glances with the zoo's eldest bull elephant can connect this toddler to the natural world in ways technology will never duplicate. It's an experience with the potential for lifetime impact on a single child -- and her entire generation -- as they inherit the role of decision-makers on the future of wildlife and the environment.

Nearly a quarter-million children under age 12, including one-fifth of all North Carolina students in kindergarten through eighth grade, will pass through the N.C. Zoo's gates this year with the opportunity for similar life-altering experiences. Add to the kids another half-million adult patrons with the potential to influence those environmental decisions today and you have a zoo audience with considerable ecological clout.

Across the United States last year, more than 175 million people visited the accredited member institutions of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums. That's more than the combined number of fans who attended all major professional sporting events in the United States. Those numbers are important because, in the final analysis, the battle for the survival of earth's largest land mammal will not be won or lost on the plains of Africa, but in the hearts of human beings.

The N.C. Zoo and the other AZA-accredited zoos believe that living elephant exhibits inspire action. Through their collective conservation, education and research programs, elephants in the care of these facilities also play an essential role in the survival of the species. Elephants educate visitors, make emotional connections and change behaviors that positively impact elephants and other wildlife conservation efforts.

A 2005 Harris Interactive poll found that 95 percent of Americans believe seeing elephants in zoos helps people appreciate them more. That same poll found that 86 percent of respondents believe that visiting zoos and aquariums encourages people to donate time and/or money to conservation.

That has been the impetus for sweeping changes occurring across the community of AZA-accredited zoos in the care, management and housing of elephants -- iconic animals facing increasing threats in the wild and rising standards that call for zoos to provide for all of the elephants' needs in their exhibits.

In April 2008, the N.C. Zoo and its nonprofit support organization, the N.C. Zoological Society, unveiled a mammoth project that is serving as a prototype for this new wave in elephant care.

An $8.5 million expansion and improvement project for the zoo's African elephant and southern white rhinoceros facilities, along with changes to the African Plains antelope exhibit, remolded the old exhibits into a new complex dubbed the "Watani Grasslands Reserve" -- named for a Swahili term meaning "fatherland." Nearly $7 million of the project's total cost was raised through private contributions to the Zoo Society.

The zoo's former elephant and rhinoceros exhibits of 3.5 acres each are now both devoted to elephants. A connection between the two eventually will give elephants access to the entire seven acres. The revamped exhibit now has two large bathing pools, abundant shade and plenty of grass and other vegetation for the pachyderms. The rhinos were relocated to the 37-acre African Plains habitat to share that space with 10 antelope species and create a spectacular exhibit on its own. New and expanded educational graphics and interpretive information, along with total-immersion viewing areas, also improved the elephant and rhino viewing experience for visitors.

Attention to details

The Watani Grasslands reflects the zoo's belief that visitors can only appreciate elephants and their wild habitats if zoo animals and their exhibits are placed in full context.

Another important aspect of the Watani Project was the construction of a new elephant barn -- a $2.5 million, state-of-the-art facility complete with calving rooms, heated floors, two bull stalls and a large community room. The improvements enabled the zoo to increase its African elephant collection from three to seven animals with a capacity for up to 10, including calves and juveniles. The expansion reflects the recognition that elephants rely on larger social groupings. The rhino herd was also expanded from three to nine with a capacity for 10.

But more importantly, it dramatically improved the zoo's ability to breed elephants and rhinos, placing the N.C. Zoo at the forefront of the effort to sustain a viable U.S. zoo population of both species as well as contributing to the scientific knowledge needed to conserve wild populations. The N.C. Zoo staff has also become a national resource for advice to other zoos as part of a nationwide effort to expand and improve elephant habitats.

The renovation and expansion of the N.C. Zoo's elephant facilities coincided with a growing debate -- and commensurate media attention -- concerning elephants in zoos nationwide. The sometimes-heated discussions have involved animal rights organizations and AZA institutions, both with the sincere goal of providing the very best care for the animals but with quite differing views on how that can be accomplished.

Critics suggest that zoos can't provide for the needs of elephants in terms of space, climate and medical care. Their assertions do not account for the huge strides made in elephant care in North Carolina and at zoos across North America. Zoos are working together to scientifically assess the welfare of the elephants in their care and then meet those needs.

Elephants in our care do not face the threats of elephants in Africa -- poaching, thirst, starvation, predation -- but we do provide them with choices and control over their lives. Our elephants have the social, mental and physical opportunities to elicit natural behaviors, supporting the dynamics that lead to stronger family units, greater social development and breeding success. Accredited zoos place much more focus on programming, including facility design, environmental enrichment, nutrition, humane training techniques and medical care.

AZA standards for elephant care and management were adopted in 2001 and made mandatory in 2003 as part of the requirements for accreditation. Those standards set minimum requirements for enclosure design, nutrition, reproduction, enrichment and veterinary care. Zoos are also required to have at least three females because of their highly social nature. Those that breed elephants are also asked to keep calves with the mother for at least four years. One thing zoo experts have learned is that elephants are more likely to breed successfully in larger groups that more closely replicate their wild social structure.

The Watani Grasslands project at the N.C. Zoo meets or exceeds the AZA standards for elephants in every respect. The size of the new exhibit, along with specially designed facilities both inside the habitat and in the off-exhibit holding areas, provide the elephants with plenty of opportunities to ensure that their social, behavioral, psychological and physical needs are met. State-of-the-art technology helps provide the elephants with the best veterinary care and husbandry available while increasing staff knowledge about the animals that can contribute to improved breeding, nutrition and physical well-being.

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Comments

AmerBestZoos - September 18, 2009

This excellent new elephant exhibit SHOULD shut up all critics of elephant in zoos! It truly provides for these marvelous animals everything they need, and it is in fact one of the best elephant exhibits in the entire world. The problem is that most of these critics do not care about elephants or any other animals. They simply care about their own extreme political agenda -- shutting down all zoos. When these critics call zoos "animal prisons", the reality is that today's modern zoos (like the North Carolina Zoo) are actually animal "resorts".

Mr. Hackney has done a great job of promoting this zoo for many years, but what he fails to say here is that his North Carolina Zoo is literally one of the very best zoos in the USA!

Allen Nyhuis, Coauthor: America's Best Zoos

STEDGRAD - September 24, 2009 -

It is really nice to see someone writing positive things about what the zoos are doing for a change. Unfortunately I feel this will fall on deaf ears. The animal rights extremists already have their minds set and no matter what true facts are presented they will not change their minds.

Suzanne Roy: N.C. Zoo a prison for elephants
BY SUZANNE ROY - News-record.com

Elephants are enchanting: their massive lumbering bodies, their great loyalty to their families, their incredible capacity to remember, and the intelligence in their small eyes.

In the wild, they live in close-knit families whose members they mourn when separation or death arrives. For these wild creatures, a normal day is 18 to 20 hours of browsing, exploring and traveling miles with family or friends. Dame Dr. Daphne Sheldrick, a United Nations Environment Program Global 500 laureate who has worked with elephants for 50 years in Africa, writes of one 10-year-old bull that walked 84 miles in 14 hours and then walked another 100 miles in search of a friend. "One hundred miles in a day is but a little stroll for an elephant," she says.

The North Carolina Zoo houses seven African elephants: Lil'Diamond, Rafiki, Nekhanda and Tonga, C'sar, Artie and Tonga's female calf Batir. The adults weigh anywhere from 7,000 to 13,000 pounds, stand 8 to 12 feet high and measure up to 25 feet head to tail. A visitor to the zoo will see these immense creatures in two separate display yards of about 3.5 acres each, which seem large if you don't know a lot about elephants' natural lives. The zoo prides itself on this space that you see. It's what you don't see that tells the story of the N.C. Zoo elephants.

On a recent visit I asked the curator: "How long does each animal spend in the outdoor exhibit yard?" He replied, "About eight hours per day." Fact is: The elephants at the N.C. Zoo are allowed in this postage stamp-sized (to an elephant) yard only during the hours when the zoo is open to the public. The rest of the time -- 16 hours of their day -- is spent in a place that the public doesn't see, in barn stalls with small adjoining paddocks not larger than your average tennis court. The male elephants, massive and powerful, spend even more time confined behind bars in tiny pens that allow for no more than a handful of strides in any direction.

N.C. Zoo visitors don't know about this, the hidden lives of the zoo's elephants. Hidden lives don't "show well."

For the N.C. Zoo elephants, it's a long, hidden life in captivity, but statistically likely to be decades shorter than if they were living in the wild where they could reach the age of 60 or older. More than half of the elephants who have died at zoos accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums since 2000 never reached age 40. This statistic excludes infant mortality, which is four times higher in captivity than in the wild. Since 1980, seven elephants have died prematurely at the N.C. Zoo, the majority of them by age 20.

Zoo medical records, industry publications and published scientific studies document that elephants in captivity suffer extreme health problems, including obesity, arthritis and foot disease, infertility and other reproductive problems and even a deadly form of the herpes virus. Captive, deprived of freedom and family, these gentle animals also sometimes change their good nature. Often they become aggressive and more often depressed; the abnormal swaying you see is just one of the symptoms of an unnatural life.

Many institutions have already recognized that elephants don't belong in zoos. The famed Bronx Zoo is among 18 U.S. zoos that have closed or plan to close their elephant exhibits, and 11 zoos have sent elephants to sanctuaries. The reasons range from recognizing the inability to meet the needs of these intelligent and free-ranging animals in a zoo setting, to a shortage of funds to house and care for elephants, the most expensive and labor-intensive animals in zoos. The Bronx Zoo went even further, saying it will focus its resources on helping preserve elephants in the wild instead of maintaining them in the zoo.

Which brings us to the question: Why are elephants in the N.C. Zoo? The zoo says it's "educational ... the impact of elephants on zoo visitors (that) may hold the key to long-term survival of the species." I have trouble understanding that. How does keeping an elephant in a small yard for eight hours and the rest of the day confined behind the scenes in a barn -- under conditions that take years off elephant lives -- hold the key to one animal's survival, let alone the survival of an entire species?

All but two of the N.C. Zoo's elephants were captured from the wild as babies, their lifelong family bonds shattered forever. Traumatized and forced into a most unnatural life, they are now on display for our entertainment. Called "ambassadors" by the zoo, they exist more as prisoners than diplomats.

If you have children, as I do, ask them what they learned by seeing an elephant in the yard. They're likely to tell you about how big they are, how much manure they produce, and how they were dancing (a child's interpretation of neurotic swaying). But what did they learn about "conservation"? And, more aptly, what kind of message have we sent about the job we're doing as the custodians of the earth and its endangered inhabitants? The truth is that the battle for the continued existence of elephants on this planet must be waged and won in their native habitats and not in zoos.

Unlike most zoos, the N.C. Zoo has the space to create a several-hundred-acre preserve for elephants and the right climate for these captives to live a comfortable and close-to-natural life. But it will take a commitment of will and resources that is not present today. If those resources cannot be mustered, then the zoo should send its elephants to one of the two natural habitat elephant refuges in the United States.

\This is our state's zoo. We, each of us, have a voice in how those elephants live. Do we leave them to their shortened confined existence? Or do we let them live healthy, more normal lives, on a vast expanse of sanctuary land?

Suzanne Roy lives in Hillsborough and is program director of In Defense of Animals, an international animal protection organization.

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Comments

taylorkess - September 13, 2009

You stated North Carolina has the right climate, but in reality so does every other zoo in the United States. At my home Cleveland Zoo, where in the winter it can get very cold, our elephants would go out nearly everyday and play in the snow. In fact it was Moshi, one of our elephants, favorite activities. Our elephants are staying in Columbus while we make a brand-new state-of-the-art Elephant exhibit. We are including in our new exhibit a heated range, to maximize their time outside even more.

You also said they only spend 8 hours a day outside. Have you ever noticed a lot of elephants prefer their indoor areas to their out? At the Cleveland Zoo, our matriarch Jo, use to hate to be outside, and most of the time she was outside she would become really agitated and stand by the door. Why do elephants usually prefer their indoor areas to their out? Inside is where elephants bond with their keepers, thus it makes the elephant feel more secure. Their indoor exhibits feel more like home to them.

Another contradiction: You stated elephants live shortened lives in captivity. Then why is Ambika at the DC National Zoo 61 years old, and she has lived there her whole life. Why did Sunita in San Diego live to be 60? Why did Mem at Busch Gardens live to be 67? Also, there is an elephant at the Dickerson Park Zoo who is 60. Gunda at the Tulsa Zoo is 59. These are all quite old-ages for elephants, and some are still living. Elephants in zoos, is an evolving science.

Yet another contradiction: Elephants sway in zoos usually if they are anticipating going inside or anticipating a training session or feeding. I have observed this at many zoos across the U.S., and I can assure you it is not because the elephants are going "insane". Also, once they pick up the behavior it doesn't usually leave them, hence that explains why their is a video of an elephant swaying at the Elephant Sanctuary.

clm1950

Yes. Elephants will go out and explore or play in the snow, but they don't do it 24 hrs a day. Cleveland, Columbus and most Northern Zoos keep the elephants inside most of the time during the winter months. How do I know? I have visited zoos in cold northern climates and I don't just observe them for a few minutes. I spend hours observing the elephants. The last zoo I visited was the St. Louis Zoo and it was 15 degrees. The elephants never came out that day.

Elephant preferring human interaction is not natural. The keepers are not doing enough to help these elephants bond with their companions. Since these elephants came from different situations, they might never form a strong bond, but if they had the space to work out their differences, the bonds would improve.

The elephants you listed that are in their 60's are exceptional. Their lives have been prolonged because of improved elephant care coming from research that has been done in non-zoo facilities in recent years.

Elephants sway because they are bored and yes, I have observed them swaying when they know there is going to be change such as feeding or a demo. It is still a learned un-natural behavior. The elephants at The Elephant Sanctuary all came from zoos and circuses where they learned this behavior. It has taken years for them to be relaxed and start acting like elephants. They are living as wild as a captive elephant can be in the USA.

The NC Zoo has the potential to become such a wonderful place as the elephant sanctuary. I visited the NC Zoo last June and was disappointed not to meet all the elephants. They cannot all be out in the enclosure at one time. Tonga & Batir are separated from Rafiki, Nekhanda & Lil Diamond. The Bulls are also separated. We did see C'sar, but on our 2 day visit, we never saw Artie. The zoo is having problems integrating the elephants. If they had more space to work out their issues, some of the problems could be resolved.

journeyman47 September 17, 2009

clm1950- all excellent responses. Thanks for explaining the reality behind the half-truths and distortions left here by people who seem to like having elephants kept prisoner for no good reason. Cheers!

taylorkess - September 13, 2009

A learned unnatural behavior- That is perhaps the weakest argument I have ever heard. Then I guess a dog scratching at a door to go outside is a learned unnatural behavior. I rather see an elephant showing a learned unnatural behavior a few minutes a day than seeing one be shot by a poacher or succumb to a pride of lions. I watched on the discovery channel, a pride of lions attack an elephant for 17 hours before she finally succumbed to them with bloody wounds all over. It was brutal. Their better off in a naturalistic zoo exhibit with trees, pools, substrates, and pretty much everything they need.

Well, if its 15 degrees out I doubt there will be elephants outside, but no zoo in the continental U.S. is 15 degrees on a daily basis in the winter. The average high in St. Louis in January is around 35 degrees according to the Weather Channel, which is perfect weather for an elephant to enjoy a good snowfall. Plus, many new exhibits are being equipped with heaters so elephants can go out when its 15 degrees.

And believe it or not, many zoos leave their elephants out overnight. I would say about half do, and half don't. Once our new exhibit is complete in Cleveland, our elephants will have a heated night range which they will have access to at night.

Elephants can sway out of boredom, but in zoos its usually out of anticipation. A decade or so ago, many zoos chained their elephants overnight, thus to take the weight off their legs they would rock back and forth. This practice has ceased in all AZA Zoos, but the elephants still show the behavior. It doesn't go away. They can be taught to not do the behavior any more, but that requires a lot of time on the keepers part. Plus it's not that big of a deal (Although animal rights groups seem to think it is). A lot of zoo elephants that I have seen don't show it. It seems the ones older than 30 do, but younger than 30 it's usually more uncommon.

This article is based off of rhetoric and words to persuade the reader into thinking zoos are prisons for elephants. Articles written by zoo's are science and fact base so the information is much more accurate. Plus, who would know more about elephants in zoos, an animal right's activist or an elephant keeper who works with captive elephants EVERYDAY? The answer is obvious.

journeyman47 - September 17, 2009

taylorkess, speaking of bored, you make me tired with your oft-repeated inane arguments for keeping elephants captive, like how you'd rather see them in zoos than poached. So you justify one form of human exploitation by mentioning another?
The simple truth is elephants don't do well-- and simply don't belong-- in captivity. The whole concept is stupid, outdated and just plain wrong. It began centuries ago when people captured and tried to dominate any new creature they found for fame, money and glory, and we see the remnants of that ignorance and cruelty even today in zoos, circuses, bullfights and rodeos.

It's time humans had a better, more compassionate view towards our fellow animals, one that allows them to have the right to exist wild and free, not because of what they can do for us, but simply because all beings have that right. No zoo in the world, no matter how they defend themselves, gives them that; only true sanctuaries and animal preserves do.

DianeC - September 24, 2009 -

"...who would know more about elephants in zoos, an animal right's activist or an elephant keeper who works with captive elephants EVERYDAY? The answer is obvious"

Yes - it is obvious! Judging by the comments I've seen both here and in other forums, I would far and away say the activists know more (and care a lot more)! It is quite apparent that they have gone out of their way to do the research and seek information from relevant sources. Not to mention the fact that a lot of the people speaking out against keeping elephants in zoos ARE people who have spent a good part of their careers in the zoo industry looking after elephants EVERY DAY and recognizing and acknowledging that the needs of elephants simply cannot be met in zoos. Also, many individuals who advocate against keeping elephants in zoos are people who have dedicated their lives to studying and preserving elephants in the wild - where they belong. I'm sorry, but the fact that you may "work with elephants every day" only means that you have a serious vested interest in maintaining the status quo and believing every flawed argument that the zoo industry perpetuates in an attempt to keep itself in business. And that's really the bottom line here - the zoo industry is the business of making money by exhibiting animals to entertain people. Period. Zoos are an outdated concept whose time has come and gone. Get over it.

ToryB

The bottom line is that elephants need space, more than a few paltry acres. If NC Zoo has the possibility to giving dozens of acres to these elephants doomed to a life sentence, it should be done. The elephant exhibit at the San Diego Zoo cost $40 million and is the most barren, desolate depressing 2.5 acre yard I have ever seen and soon to hold 9 !!! elephants. For NCZ just fencing acreage and letting the elephants roam, lie on soft grass and bulldozing a pond is what is needed, and that doesn't cost $40 million.

In addition I have often thought that cameras in far corners of a large habitat streamed to IMAX or very large screens that zoo patrons see (and other zoos subscribe to) is a workable solution and cheaper than each zoo keeping elephants doomed to a life sentence of confinement on hard surfaces

cao347

AZA articles are science and fact-based? The elephants that you mention who lived or are living into their 60's are the exception in AZA facilities, not the rule, as you are well aware. The bottom line is that most zoos contain elephant exhibits that are far too small and unnatural. I for one would like to see the AZA get serious about exhibiting elephants in captivity. The millions-upon-millions of dollars that have been spent, or are currently set to be spent, at various AZA zoos, create elephant exhibits that do little or nothing to address the real issues of space, boredom and captivity-related health issues, even before these "improved" exhibits are even completed. It is always disappointing to see yet another post by an AZA employee with no new ideas, falling back on old and antiquated ideas for elephant care. You all know that the present situation with elephants in captivity in zoos greatly shortens their life spans. It's time for you to open your minds to the science out there.

When are the AZA and all it's zoos going to really step up to the plate for these animals and stop their own unproductive rhetoric?

journeyman47 - September 17, 2009

cao347: brilliant, absolutely brilliant! Great response, thank you! Hurray for sanity!

clarasvoice - September 13, 2009

What strikes me most about this piece is the Zoo rep stating that there are different needs for captive and wild elephants. They seem to be missing the point Ms. Roy is making. The needs of an elephant do not change. They may be captive , but what an elephant needs is what an elephant needs...space to roam, social structure, and freedom of choice. Zoos cannot provide this, no matter how well intentioned.

taylorkess - September 13, 2009

It never ceases to amaze me how people anthropomorphize animals, especially elephants. How do you know an whether or not an elephant is bored? The truth is, you NEVER REALLY KNOW what they are thinking. All animals express their emotions in different ways, and just because an elephant looks bored to a human doesn't mean it is really bored.

Your right the needs of an elephant don't change, but the needs can be met in different ways.

The new multi-million dollar exhibits being built are addressing the needs of elephants in captivity. They provide elephants with more activities to do in a more natural environment. With new elephant exhibits, longevity will improve as it did with gorillas. Gorillas always use to die prematurely in zoos, now the oldest gorilla on record lived in a zoo. The same will start to happen with elephants once new exhibits open. In most of the cases where elephants have died at a younger age, they were living in a quarter acre compact dirt paddock. Obviously that is not an adequate exhibit for an elephant. That would be the reason why more zoos are building naturalistic elephant exhibits. With more multi-acre exhibits opening up elephants will lead healthier lives in zoos. It can't really be proven that the new exhibits won't remedy all the captive-induced problems. I don't know how you can prove that because their have not been enough that have opened up yet. So far, in the ones that have opened, the elephants have been living a lot more of a stimulated life. At the Nashville Zoo, they opened an enormous 3 acre elephant savanna with natural trees, grasses, and plants. The elephants there have been thriving, and have really enjoyed the new exhibit.

The new Elephant Odyssey exhibit at the San Diego Zoo is a lot easier on the elephant's joints as soft sand is the predominant substrate rather than the compact dirt and concrete from the old enclosure.

Another thing that puzzles me is why does it matter if there are 9 elephants in an exhibit instead of 2. Elephants are not territorial so its not like they divide up the 2 acres amongst themselves. They live in it as a family, so I don't get why people get all hyped up by having more elephant per acre. If you have 9 elephants on 2 acres, all 9 elephants still have access to the full two acres so it doesn't really negate the space.

journeyman47 - September 17, 2009 -

taylor: you call a lousy 3 acres "enormous" for an elephant habitat? You've just lost any credibility you might have had.
Face it, elephants need hundreds if not thousands of acres of land, not a laughable three. if you truly understand elephants as you claim, surely you should know this.

DianeC - September 24, 2009

I agree with journeynam47 - this statement in and of itself shows quite clearly that this individual who claims to know so much about elephants really has NO idea!

clarasvoice - September 13, 2009

So if space is not an issue, how about we put you in a closet with four other people and say 'Have a nice life".?

ToryB - September 13, 2009

Exactly Clara - but don't forget somebody will come to feed you in that closet and you will pretend to show how thankful you are - Or since we know elephants go thru PTSD, wouldn't that be Stockholm Syndrome - staying on the good side of your kidnapper? The word anthropomorphism applies to cartoon characters, not living beings, most especially elephants.

taylorkess - September 13, 2009 -

The word anthropomorphize MOST DEFINITELY applies to animals.

STEDGRAD - September 13, 2009

And you know elephants suffer from PTSD how? It is hard enough to diagnose it in humans who can tell a shrink exactly what happened. How are these hacks diagnosing this? This "research" comes out of the same sanctuary that let an elephant remain on its side out in the elements and suffer for 12 days before it finally died on its own back in May. As far as the elephants walking hundreds of miles a day that is typical statistics. One can make numbers prove any point they want them to. Elephants are as lazy as humans, they only walk that far if they have to. One park in Africa observed their elephants only moving 1/3 of a mile a day when there was sufficient food to support the herd.

lisaspups - - September 23, 2009

First of all, the research on PTSD on animals does not only come from The Elephant Sanctuary in Hohenwald [TN]. There are several studies going on right now that proves PTSD exists in elephants. With regards to the elephant that you claim was allowed to "suffer for 12 days" is a perfect example of an opinion based on your lack of factual knowledge and histrionics. That elephant was hospiced by a staff of very caring individuals, much like humans would be in their final stages. She did not suffer as you put it and, when she did die, she was surrounded by those same people and the elephants that she loved. With regard to your point about elephants moving as far as they have to. Well, that is the point, isn't it? At least, elephants in the wild are able to make that choice for themselves.

You and taylorkess need to do us all a favor and don't reproduce.

taylorkess - September 13, 2009 -

A closet? There's no sense in arguing with you. A 2 acre exhibit is not a closet for an elephant. 2 acres= Around 88,000 square feet. The average American house=1800 square feet. In other words a 2 acre elephant exhibit is about 48 times the size of the average American house. They don't just put the elephants in there and say "Have a nice life", they obviously provide them top quality care. Any one who denies the care zoos give has a biased opinion against them. I am out of this argument as I am not really going to get anywhere with someone as ignorant as you or anyone else on here. I know you from youtube and your already set in your anti-zoo agenda.

cao347 - September 13, 2009 -

It is admirable that the AZA has finally begun to recognize the substrate issues and the role it has played in the premature deaths of countless elephants in captivity. Better late than never, I suppose. Only the AZA would call a 3-acre exhibit "enormous" and I suppose the mechanical trees at San Diego for enrichment are preferred to the real thing by elephants also.

No, female elephants are not territorial in the over-simplified definition you are using. But I think we can agree that they all come with their own personalities and some with lots of psychological baggage. San Diego stepped up to the plate and assisted with the rescue of Tina and Jewel, two now-former circus elephants that were confiscated by the USDA. But already San Diego is making noise about perhaps having to re-house them at another AZA zoo if they cannot be successfully integrated into the present herd they have on exhibit. Why is that? By your reasoning 2 acres is plenty and they should all live as one big happy family. That is not always the reality and confined spaces only make it worse. Many of the elephants in captivity were captured and taken from their families as children. I suspect they do remember some of that, including the trauma, but that would be anthropomorphizing again.

taylorkess - September 13, 2009

San Diego's approach with the enrichment trees is unique to the Elephant Odyssey exhibit. If they were real trees they be gone in a matter of days, and the elephants could no longer use them for shade, browsing, etc.

cao347 - September 13, 2009

My point exactly. An unnatural environment.

Freedomtj - September 13, 2009 -

"We must fight against the spirit of unconscious cruelty with which we treat the animals. Animals suffer as much as we do.
True humanity does not allow us to impose such sufferings on them. It is our duty to make the whole world recognize it.
Until we extend our circle of compassion to all living beings, humanity will not find peace."
-- Albert Schweitzer, physician/Nobel Laureate --

Judge, Mr Justice Louis Tong Po-sun: “a bad tradition should be denied and shunned”.

Every Life lost is a LOSS to All of us....We are All ONE, Members of Earth Family-We have to STOP to kill other Species, just because we think we have the Right, because we DO NOT! If we damage the delicate WEB of Life, The Balance that Nature has, it will Always be us or our Children that will bear the Consequences! (Sicknesses, Earthquakes, Floods, Fires, Mental Sickness, Unhappiness etc...). Every Creature has A PURPOSE a Life to live and we must STOP the killing, exploiting, hurting, torturing and hunting and experimenting and taking captive ....STOP STOP STOP the Cruelty!!!

buddycritter - September 13, 2009

I know zoos have good intentions and do care about animals. Unfortunately zoos are not a good place for any animal to be help captive. Elephants in particular need such a large roaming area to live a natural, healthy life and it is heartbreaking to see them in such small spaces. Being behind bars is not an ideal life for anyone. It would be great if zoos would all close and the funds could be allocated to open more sanctuaries or expand existing ones.

DianeC - September 24, 2009

You Said It!!!! Think of the incredible things that could be done for wild populations of elephants with the millions upon millions of dollars that are SQUANDERED to build and maintain what are still SUBSTANDARD living conditions for the poor elephants forced to live in zoos.

siscaro - September 13, 2009

"The cruel wild beast is not behind the bars of the cage. He stands in front of it."
(Axel Munthe)

Don't you all know the REAL reason WHY zookeepers support captive animals!!! It's their PAYCHECKS, people!!!
If they supported animals living as they should in the "wild" they might not have a job = no income!!
Imagine a world with no animals in captivity.... How many people would be unemployed or have to work at a retail store? Of course, zoo employees are going to support their company and it's cause!!
My heart would never let me work for a zoo! I find it ironic that zoos claim to know more about animal's needs, but, doesn't come close to meeting their natural needs.
Elephants in captivity are nothing more to their captors than a business for the sole purpose of making money.
It's a way to put food on their tables and money in their bank accounts...Think about it!
It's not about research or saving species! If they really want to study animal's in order to save them, they would be studying our animals in their natural habitats like the true researchers and scientists do...not behind bars! What can you really learn about an animal's natural instincts and behaviors behind bars or in cages??? Nothing!
What bothers me most about zoos are the excuses they use as to why they hold animals captive. Stop using the excuses of conservation projects, saving endangered species or to teach children about animals!!
None of those are true! Just admit exploiting animals for human entertainment is a profitable business !
Check your dictionary for the meaning of "zoo."

How could anyone with any bit of knowledge about our earth and our wildlife not believe that animals have a right to be free from human torture and confinement?!

journeyman47 - September 17, 2009

siscaro: Wow, yet another great response! Good job! I'm amazed how many people commenting here really understand elephants' needs vs. what zoos claim to provide.... and I too am sick of their excuses and phony reasons!

STEDGRAD - September 14, 2009

People who work with captive animals are not in it solely for the paycheck. We all agree we would love to see nothing more than the animals living in THEIR Natural habitat. Unfortunately they cannot because people are ignorant, selfish, greedy bastards. We are the only species on the planet that is knowingly and willingly destroying the planet, They continue to breed like rabbits and take over every inch of natural space, and continue to poach animals to feed the Asian black market. If the animal rights extremists would put their money toward good and help zoos out we would be able to provide a whole lot more than we can now. And for your information, the vast majority of people working in the animal profession have a minimum of a bachelors degree, many have masters and PhD.

Caroline T - September 16, 2009 -

Using the term "anthropomorphism" is only valid when someone inappropriately assigns human characteristics to inanimate objects or other species that those species don't really have. However, recognizing the characteristics that humans and elephants, for instance, have in common is NOT anthropomorphizing. The fact is, elephants have great memories, they feel emotions, pain, they are extraordinarily affectionate mothers, they mourn their dead and they are self-aware, make use of tools and can plan. These characteristics have been proven through studies.

It is always disappointing to me to see zoo employees simply parroting what their industry's PR departments have inculcated into them over the years. It serves as a reminder that critical thinking is actively discouraged in zoo employees. Those that stand up for the animals don't last long in zoos. I have talked to many of them. Zoos actively encourage "group think" and "group speak" which is never good for the animals. It is equally disappointing that the zoo industry has failed to take a leadership role in evolving into more of a sanctuary model from their 19th century menagerie model. Most zoo employees unfortunately cling to that mind set of the past and refuse to take in new information, opting instead to just keep parroting the same old platitudes that have no real meaning. Oh, these animals are "ambassadors for the wild". It makes me physically sick every time I hear one of them say this. They will eventually make themselves irrelevant if they continue refusing to come into the 21st century.

journeyman47 - September 17, 2009 -

Caroline, you said it much better than I ever could. Thanks for your brilliant response.... I love to see intelligent discussion of an issue I'm so passionate about!
I too am sickened by silly labels zoos put on nonhuman captives like "ambassadors"... you don't keep an ambassador prisoner his entire life, do you?

Caroline T - September 18, 2009

Exactly, Journeyman. I would also like to add that zoo employees' attempts to explain away obviously neurotic, distressed behavior (rocking back and forth, head bobbing and the like) as "anticipatory" behavior is ruining the zoos' credibility. As the public becomes rapidly educated as to the truth about these behaviors and the fact that wild elephants never display any of them, zoos make themselves look ridiculous by instructing their keepers and other staff to keep giving moronic excuses. "Oh, she's just dancing to the music she hears in her head." "She got used to swaying in the truck on her way here and just decided to keep doing it." "An elephant swaying is no different than an office worker tapping her foot during a meeting." Pullease......and then their administrators issue press releases claiming to be all about elephant education. What a joke! Dr. Joyce Poole has stated "I am stunned that the AZA is not able to perceive the empirical evidence that elephants need much more space than what is currently allotted to them. In the form of routine problems captive elephant managers face every day, the evidence is unmistakable; foot diseases, arthritis, weight related diseases, infertility, heightened aggression, and OTHER NEUROTIC BEHAVIOR." And that's from the director of the Amboseli Elephant Research Project in Africa.

Story courtesy of John Goodall