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Elephant Sanctuaries – Not Captivity!
The Los Angeles Zoo
UPDATE - Ruby Moved to Sanctuary!
 Ruby
at the Los Angeles Zoo, before her move to PAWS Sanctuary
On March 12, 2007, after immense pressure from animal
activists, the Los Angeles Zoo finally agreed to let Ruby live out her
retirement at the PAWS
Sanctuary in Northern California! The 46-year-old African elephant, who spent 20
years at the L.A. Zoo, made the journey on May 15th, from her small enclosure to
her new home, where she will have more than 70 acres of room to roam. Ruby had
been off-exhibit for years at the zoo and living alone since the death of her
companion, Gita, a 48-year-old female Asian elephant, last June. Ruby was the
second elephant in May 2007 to be transferred from a zoo to a sanctuary; Dulary
arrived at The Elephant
Sanctuary in Tennessee from the Philadelphia Zoo just weeks ago.
Thank you to everyone who contributed to LCA's "Elephant Sanctuaries - Not
Captivity Campaign." Ruby is finally enjoying the life she truly deserves, but
the fight is not over, the L.A. Zoo elephant exhibit must be permanently
closed.
Update - LCA's "Elephant Sanctuaries - Not Captivity"
Campaign
 Billy,
lone male Asian elephant at L.A. Zoo, exhibits neurotic behaviors consistent
with captive elephants which include incessant head bobbing and swaying
Currently, the Los Angeles Zoo is planning and building
a $39 million dollar elephant exhibit expansion. Billy, a 20 year old Asian male
and the only elephant at the zoo, will be the breeding bull for the new exhibit.
The new plans include 10 barns and will be smaller in area per elephant than the
old elephant exhibit. The estimated completion date is late 2009. LCA is
campaigning to permanently close down the elephant exhibit and to stop any more
elephants from a life in
captivity.
The fate of the Los Angeles Zoo elephants had become especially important to
local citizens since the death of Tara in December 2004 and Gita in June 2006.
For more information about Gita and her death, visit her
memorial page.
"The L.A. Zoo exhibit should be
closed down permanently so no more elephants have to suffer and die there.”
Chris DeRose, President & Founder LCA
It is evident that the LA Zoo cannot provide the space,
exercise or social enrichment needed to preserve elephants’ health and well
being. Unfortunately many zoos, including Los Angeles, have responded to the
growing controversy over the suffering of elephants in captivity by making plans
to expand their exhibits. Unfortunately, these expansions will never be
sufficient to meet the needs of these amazing animals. Elephants should not be
in captivity - period.
Elephant Deaths at the
L.A. Zoo
The elephants at the L.A. Zoo are dying from captivity
related diseases; Since 1975, eleven elephants have died at the L.A. Zoo, there
are, also, six elephants with unknown histories and incomplete records.
In addition to
Gita’s death in 2006, the most recent elephant death was in
December 2004, when Tara was found lying on her side. She passed away shortly
afterwards at the young age of 39. Her necropsy shows cause of death as acute
heart failure.
The average age of death for L.A. Zoo elephants since 1975 is 22 years. By
comparison, a wild elephant’s natural lifespan can be over 70 years.
Three Things You Can Do:
1. Stay Involved!
Sign up to receive LCA’s Action Alerts – the best way to stay
up-to-date with LCA’s campaigns. We will notify all our supporters via Action
Alert when there are new developments or actions to take regarding the LA Zoo
elephants.
Sign up here.
2. Keep Elephants in the News and Educate!
Educating the public about the plight of captive elephants is
very important! Write letters to the editor of every magazine or newspaper you
read. Talk to your friends and family about the plight of captive elephants.
Carry literature with you and leave it in public places - at the gym, at the
Laundromat, on the bus.
3. Volunteer! We are always looking for people to help with leafleting,
petitioning and attending council meetings.
If you live in the Los Angeles area
and would like to volunteer to help permanently close the Los
Angeles Zoo elephant exhibit, please send an email to
volunteer@lcanimal.org or
call 310-271-6096, ext. 25.
If you do not live in Los Angeles but would like to learn more about
"Elephant Sanctuaries - Not Captivity" campaigns in your city, email
volunteer@lcanimal.org or
call 310-271-6096, ext. 25.
RETURN TO "ELEPHANT SANCTUARIES -
NOT CAPTIVITY" HOME PAGE
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