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WE ARE NOT ALONE
Other groups, like us, are also asking Zoos and Circuses to retire their elephants to elephant sanctuaries. These elephants' lives, like Lucy, are lives of isolation, boredom and illness.
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The Friends_of_Woodland_Park_Zoo have been working for over five years to secure the release of Zoo elephants to The Elephant Sanctuary. Chai, Bamboo, Watoto are currently living at the Zoo and Sri is on loan to the St Louis Zoo. Chai (31), Bamboo (44) and Sri (30) are all Asian elephants. Watoto (41) is the sole African elephant at the Zoo and is kept in solitary confinement.
For most of the year, Bamboo, Chai and Watoto live 16-17 hours a day in a small, barren barn room. When they do go outdoors it is to an area that is less than one acre. This is a horribly cruel and inhumane existence for animals that need to walk 10 to 30 miles a day for their physical and mental health. These animals are all displaying repetitive stereotypic behaviours and suffer from arthritis, colic and chronic foot infections – all evidence of captivity-induced stress and suffering. Dr. Joyce Poole, who has studied elephants for 34 years said:
“In over 34,000 sightings of elephants [in the wild] not one elephant has been seen swaying rhythmically back and forth or showing other neurotic behavior – ultimately caused by lack of space.”
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Clara’s_Voice seeks sanctuary for the eight remaining elephants at the St. Louis Zoo. This zoo made repeated appearances on IDA's Ten Worst Zoos for Elephants list, yet insists on keeping and breeding elephants. They currently have 8 Asian elephants living within 1.2 acres! Asian elephant Clara was euthanized in 2007 at the age 54, after suffering for years from crippling arthritis and chronic foot disease, the result of decades spent in the zoo's tiny exhibit. Clara's companion, Pearl, continues to languish at the zoo, becoming increasingly debilitated. In 2007, Jade was born, but rejected by her mother, Rani. Another elephant, Sri, has survived despite her failure to expel a fetus that died in utero in November 2005. No significant change is on the horizon for St. Louis' eight elephants.
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The goal of Asian Elephants Today is to paint The Big Picture of the endangered Asian Elephant. To educate and spread the word about the threats they face and the conservation efforts made on their behalf. By referencing and linking to websites of organizations, foundations and sanctuaries, Asian Elephants Today hopes to bring more attention and support to their missions and goals as well as showing the world this growing movement by uniting them together on this site.
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