Toronto Zoo Elephants

Toronto City Council made an elephantine mistake last fall and the zoo is suffering the consequences. An international organization setting standards for most major North American zoos has stripped the Toronto Zoo of a prized accreditation. And it’s because councillors rejected the advice of the zoo’s expert staff last October and opted to send three elephants to an unaccredited sanctuary.
Mayor Rob Ford missed that ill-advised vote and is right to criticize councillors in this case for doing “policy on the fly.” The best place for three departing pachyderms — Toka, Thika and Iringa — should have been decided strictly through science-based evaluation. Zoo officials are in the best position to conduct such an analysis, not councillors.
That didn’t stop council from rejecting a professional recommendation that the elephants go to a facility accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). There was concern it would take too long. Led by Councillor Michelle Berardinetti, council opted to give the elephants to the Performing Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) in San Andreas, Calif. They’re likely to go in about a month.
PAWS is endorsed by retired game show host Bob Barker, who has made a pet project of securing Toronto’s elephants. One can’t help but wonder if he and his persistent “Come on down!” blandishments were the deciding factor in council’s decision.
Now the zoo has lost an accreditation it had since 1977. Berardinetti has condemned the AZA for attempting to tell Toronto “what to do with our elephants.” But that’s the organization’s job. Since in its view it is unacceptable to send elephants to an unaccredited facility, the AZA’s action should come as no surprise.
The Toronto Zoo’s loss of AZA approval limits its ability to share animals with other zoos in breeding programs. Still, that won’t pose too great a problem if accreditation is restored in a fresh review about a year from now. If that’s the case, the zoo could regard the current action against it as a trip to the penalty box. But given this zoo’s attendance and fundraising challenges, the last thing it needs is another penalty — and the bad publicity that comes with it.

Again I ask the question Bob Barker, "how many children could be brought out of Palestine for $900,000,000?   How many children equal 3 elephant's, Bob?"

 http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1168061--elephants-in-training-to-enter-crates-for-coming-move