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Posted on 12/13/2004 6:12:13 AM PST by Nick Danger
Last Elephant Leaving San Francisco Zoo Amid Dispute Over Size of Half-Acre Compound
The Associated Press
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Yielding to pressure from animal-rights groups, the San Francisco Zoo is giving up its last elephant, marking the first time in the facility's 75-history that it will be without at least one pachyderm.
The zoo's only remaining elephant is being moved to a sanctuary in the Sierra foothills after elected officials voted to require a larger compound for elephants at the seaside attraction.
The 38-year-old elephant named Lulu is the fourth animal to be relocated or to have died in the zoo's half-acre elephant compound this year.
The San Francisco County Board of Supervisors said last week that elephants can only return when the zoo builds a larger elephant enclosure of at least 15 acres.
Animal-rights activists applauded the board's action.
"While no urban environment can meet the vast space requirements of elephants, the new San Francisco standards are an important first step in forcing the zoo to recognize and address the complex needs of elephants," said veterinarian Elliot Katz, president of the animal-rights group In Defense of Animals.
The zoo's director, Manuel Mollinedo, expects elephants to return at some point. He planned to seek bonds to help build new pens and was optimistic private donors might contribute to the project.
Animal-rights activists have sought closure of the elephant exhibit for years. The dispute intensified in April, when a 44-year-old African elephant died at the zoo. Earlier, zoo officials euthanized an 37-year-old Asian elephant because of a degenerative joint disease and other ailments.
In the wild, elephants may live 50 to 70 years.
Last month, a 38-year-old Asian elephant was moved to a 2,300-acre sanctuary in San Andreas, where zoo officials will soon relocate Lulu, an African elephant who is beset with health problems.
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They are replacing them with donkeys.
They will also be bringing in a 200-head herd of jackasses to make them feel comfortable with animals of their own species being in the zoo.
Isn't it though. They will probably fill the zoo with donkeys now.
I agree, a half acre is pretty small, but fifteen acres in the most densely packed real estate in Southern California? Liberal lunacy. Walter Williams has it right about the whole 'green zone' mentality in these areas being completely ridiculous.
I hate to align myself with Rats in any way but...... I hate zoos.
Relocate now!!
OK - 4th Generation American Circus. So I speak from knowlege.
Elephants do NOT live that long in the wild. African elephants live about 20-30 at best and Asians are about the same, maybe give them another 10 years. But for the asians/indian elephants they WILL become extinct in my lifetime and that's a FACT.
IN captivity with a good diet a elephant can live up to the 60's. I've seen this in person. It will pain the animal right activists to no end to learn the logest living elephant in the US was a circus elephant. An elephant that's been in our family for generations is currently in her upper 50's. She retired now. Also the place where they are sending that elephant in norhter California is run by animal right wackoes. But then again what do you expect from liberals in northern CA?
I hope Gov Arnold can fix that state up.
The PETA way to help animals: Boycott them. They can't live in the wild. They can't live in capitivity.
But somehow it's more humane.
Why don't they ever yield to pressure from conservative groups? Are we missing something?
Ditto. Half acre is way too small, and elephants are herd animals.
Yes, I know. They were born in captivity so they do not know any different. But I can just remember since my childhood, seeing tigers pacing in tiny cages and elephants chained by the leg and rocking back and forth. It always broke my heart. I guess I am a bleeding heart animal lover. I am a realist and can see the wisdom in culling the wild horse population, but zoos depress me.
BTTT!!!!!!!
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The symbolism is striking.