Posted on 01/22/2005 3:00:35 PM PST by Scenic Sounds
SAN PASQUAL VALLEY – For 50 years she called San Diego County home.
That's why animal-welfare activists are upset that Peaches, the oldest African elephant in the country, died earlier this week at Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo.
Activists are criticizing the San Diego Wild Animal Park for its decision to move Peaches and two other older elephants, Wankie and Tatima, to the cold-weather city in early 2003. With two of those elephants now dead, they called the move "grossly irresponsible."
Peaches, 55, died of "complications due to old age," according to Lincoln Park officials. She was found lying on the floor of her heated enclosure Monday morning.
"Though she was alive, her eyes were unfocused and her breathing was labored," the zoo said in a statement. "For hours, veterinarians and keepers tried to get the elephant back on her feet, but to no avail." She was euthanized later that evening.
The 35-year-old Tatima died at the Chicago zoo in October from a bacterial infection similar to tuberculosis. Lincoln Park Zoo officials don't believe the deaths were connected because Peaches did not show any signs of disease.
Critics, however, contend Peaches' death should be blamed on the cold winter climate and the small enclosure she lived in. Activists are demanding the remaining elephant, Wankie, be transferred to a warm-weather sanctuary immediately.
Kelly McGrath, a spokeswoman for the Lincoln Park Zoo, said officials are looking to place Wankie in another zoo for companionship now that she's alone, but have no plans to base that decision on climate. The Wild Animal Park would have a role in that decision, she said.
A small group of protesters gathered yesterday outside the Chicago zoo's elephant enclosure to mourn the loss of Peaches and demand Wankie be moved to a sanctuary. They charge the Wild Animal Park got rid of the three elephants because they were too old.
Ray Ryan, a former elephant keeper at the Wild Animal Park, joined the Chicago protest. "It doesn't take much logic to figure out that climate does affect them. It affects us," he said. "Wankie is going to be dead in probably three weeks if they don't get her out of here."
Elliot Katz, a veterinarian and president of In Defense of Animals in Mill Valley, likened such a move of old elephants to forcing someone with a heart condition to run a marathon.
"They sent them to about the coldest place they could send them," Katz said. "It was just a death sentence. They dumped them there, knowing full well that they were just going to dramatically shorten their lives."
But Christina Simmons, a spokeswoman for the Zoological Society of San Diego, said there's no indication weather played a role in either elephant's death. The society runs the Wild Animal Park, where all three elephants had lived for more than 30 years, and the San Diego Zoo.
"There haven't been any studies, but elephants have been kept at zoos in a variety of climates for decades and there is absolutely no reason to believe that there's any difficulty in keeping them in all kinds of different climates," Simmons said. "While people have perceptions like that related to weather, that's not necessarily accurate."
Elephants have been an attraction at the Chicago zoo for 115 years, and several other northern zoos also feature them.
Although elephants can live into their 60s, the typical life expectancy is about 42 years, said Bill Foster, president of the American Zoo and Aquarium Association, an accreditation group. By that measure, he said, criticism of either zoo is unfounded and they should be congratulated for allowing Peaches to live a long and healthy life.
The Wild Animal Park decided to move the three elephants to Chicago to make room for seven wild elephants it had acquired in Africa. At the time, animal-welfare activists tried unsuccessfully to block the importation of the new elephants, and warned of sending older ones to a colder climate.
Tony Madsen, a spokesman for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, said Wankie is suffering from emotional trauma that will only worsen with a transfer to another zoo.
"Dumping Wankie at another zoo would subject her to prolonged and unnecessary hardship and only benefit a stubborn and self-serving zoo industry, not the elephant," Madsen said.
McGrath, the spokeswoman for the Chicago zoo, cautioned the public to understand where such criticisms of zoos are coming from. "It's not just elephants for PETA. . . . They are opposed to zoos and aquariums in general and that is important for everyone to keep in mind," she said.
The zoological society acquired Peaches in 1953 from a circus, and she remained at the San Diego Zoo until the Wild Animal Park opened in 1972. Tatima and Wankie, both born in 1969, were purchased from a private individual and brought to the park in 1971 before it officially opened.
A La Jolla-based group called The Elephant Alliance plans to hold a memorial service for Peaches at 2:30 p.m. today near the San Diego Zoo entrance.
"We feel that the San Diego Zoological Society is totally responsible for the suffering, agony and premature death of Peaches," said Florence Lambert, founder of the alliance. "It's time that they were exposed for their callous use of animals."
I don't think elephants are welcome in Chicago.
I've been to the Escondido Wild Animal park many times. Those people absolutely love those animals.....for anyone to say they sent them anywhere to basically kill them seems to be alot of alarmist rhetoric......
In fact, as a person, I don't want to live in Chicago.
To me that says it all. Peaches lived to be 55, well past typical life expectancy. RIP Peaches, and a pox on you PETA for being such insufferable idiots.
"In fact, as a person, I don't want to live in Chicago."
You call that living? :^)
So are we grilling or doing the BBQ thing?
You call that living? :^)
It wouldn't be much of a life, IMO. I bet Peaches just pined away....
However, I notice she had some impressive tusks. They could probably make enough money to support more elephants by making & selling ivory trinkets from Peaches' tusks....
I was at the NYC Aquarium and I saw a dolphin in a tank that had only about 50 feet of swimming room before he had to stop or turn...
it broke my heart.
I understand we can't release these animals, but we should take a long hard look at collection, at least as far as which animals can stand zoo life and which cannot.
There are more than enough excellent documentaries to introduce children to animals and they have the added attraction of seing the animal in the wild and performing actual tasks they need to survive.
Chitown is still run by jackasses.
Enough about Peaches.
What happened to Herb?
What happened to Herb
Thank you. As much as we all hate to read of old elephants dying, it would help if they weren't named 'Peaches', "Tatima", and they're fighting now to save 'Wankie' from wonking off.
For some reason this reminds me of the Emmy award winning 'Mary Tyler Moore' episode about Chuckles the Clown's death.
One more thing about Peaches...and the other
2 elephants shipped to CHicago. THese animals
had a huge indoor/outdoor facility. And I
would venture the California zoo either recvd
a good deal of money or some kind of animals
it had a need for in return. Chicago's Lincoln
Park Zoo as well as Brookfield Zoo have tremendous
facilities for all their animals...due to private
donations by loyal patrons (and I'm one of them).
I visited the Lions and the deceased Bushman (now
an exhibit at the Field Museum) at Lincoln Park
every day after school throughout my elementary
school days. The animals are well cared for and
have terrific meals that some humans could envy.
Need I add that I'm one of them and have been for years?
"I don't think elephants are welcome in Chicago."
Ba-zing!
What's with the Chicago bashing?
"Chitown is still run by jackasses."
Completely true -- though around here, everyone calls Mayor Daley a "closet Republican." Probably true, actually, though that tells you how far the pendulum has swung around here.
I hope my kids don't send me to Chicago when I get too old!
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