Toronto Zoo Elephant Update

The Toronto Zoo board decided to say farewell to its three female elephants Thursday after weeks of debating whether to build a new $16.5 million holding facility or send the animals to the U.S.

“The elephants have been here a long time, they’re old, it’s time for them to retire,” said Councillor Glenn De Baeremaeker, whose motion to move the elephants to a sanctuary lost 5-3.

“In my opinion, a sanctuary would’ve by far been the better option. Isn’t it better to send elephants to an 80-acre compound than ours here in Toronto, which is only three acres and in January, it’s -20C?”

Four elephants at the zoo have died in the past five years. The three remaining are nearing retirement age and are in their 40s.

The board voted down the option of an elephant sanctuary in Tennessee or California for fear of mistreatment of the animals.

Five of seven members preferred a facility that is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) after realizing the board doesn’t have the money to build the new enclosure or afford the animals’ $1-million annual upkeep bill.

“I think it’s probably the right thing we could’ve done,” Councillor Gloria Lindsay Luby said after the meeting.

“There was a lot of pressure from special interest group, all very strong. They say, ‘Don’t support zoos.’ It’s all very sneaky.”

Lindsay Luby said she was saddened to see the elephants go, but “it’s up to us to secure the best future for them.”

But just because the decision was made, doesn’t mean the elephants are going anywhere anytime soon.

Toronto Zoo CEO John Tracogna, who agreed with the recommendations, warned it will likely take up to two years to transport the elephants.

“Everyone who says to move them, there is a risk, and we all share in that risk — in the case of failing health, they may not be easily moved.”

The next steps, according to zoo board chairman Joe Torzsok, is to contact different AZA-certified zoos, as well as experts to get Operation Dumbo Drop rolling.

“It’s very complicated to move not just one, but three, elephants,” he said. “Now, we have to face the bureaucracy of shipping them down to the U.S. All of these are unknowns right now.”

In addition, the zoo will look at pursuing an educational exhibit for the elephants once they’re gone.

Animal sanctuaries cannot be accredited under the AZA because they are not considered zoos.

However, Torzsok said there is still a possibility a sanctuary could be considered as the zoo works through the process.

“Sometimes I feel like the AZA are threatened a little by space and a lack of red tape at places like a sanctuary,” said Ed Stewart of Performing Animal Welfare Society, which operates the California elephant sanctuary .

“We specialize in elephants like these three here — older with arthritis problems. All elephants in captivity are suffering from captivity. These elephants need to have choices — eat from a tree, walk up a hill — but you can’t do that in a big city zoo, like Toronto’s.”

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Toronto's pachyderms will be sent packing, though their final destination remains unknown.

The zoo board voted unanimously to eliminate the 36-year-old elephant program that houses three elderly elephants during a meeting on Thursday, a decision that also kept the door open for the animals' possible move to a California sanctuary.

The board was debating a staff report that recommended the elephants be moved to another zoo over worries Toronto could not afford their elephantine tab - $16.5-million for a new shelters and almost $1-million in annual upkeep.

But the report contained a caveat that sparked heated exchanges among board-members: while recommending a move, zoo staff stipulated that the elephants should only go to a facility accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), rebuffing councillors and animal-rights groups who had been campaigning to retire the elephants to a 2,300-acre sanctuary in San Andreas that does not qualify for AZA approval.

“It's crazy,” said Ed Stewart, founder of the California sanctuary, who flew specifically to defend its reputation “It's turned into a fight, it always does with elephants.”

Nearly 100 people packed the zoo's sun-drenched board room, many of them wearing “I love the Zoo” pins. They applauded loudly for any speaker who expressed a desire to keep the female animals in Toronto.

“I think the option of keeping our ladies here has not been discussed,” said board-member Councillor Gloria Lindsay Luby. “We have been pushed and goaded.”

A majority of the 14 public speakers at the meeting echoed Mr. Stewart in urging the board to relocate the animals to San Andreas.

A representative for one zoo watchdog offered to pay for staff and board-members to travel to San Andreas for a first-hand glimpse of conditions at the sanctuary, which carries the high-profile endorsement of former Price is Right host Bob Barker.

“I can personally attest this is the best facility I have ever seen,” said Julie Woodyer, campaign director for Zoocheck Canada. “They exceed all AZA standards.”

The board may take her up on that offer. They have asked a the zoo's Animal Care and Research Committee to report back on an ideal location for the elephants. Towards the end of the meeting, board-members expressed a willingness to go against staff recommendations and seriously consider the sanctuary option.

The committee has been directed to find an AZA zoo to take the elephants as a first option and then look at a sanctuary only as a plan B, an approach that upset at least one board-member.

“We can't send them back to Africa,” said Councillor Raymond Cho, “and what is the next best option? A sanctuary.”

Zoo officials have said that planning the move could take over two years.

Elephants should leave Toronto Zoo, report advises

Courtesy of Wayne Jackson