The Seattle Times reports that an animal rights organization, In Defense of Animals (IDA), has filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, claiming that Woodland Park Zoo’s elephant breeding program violates the federal Animal Welfare Act.
The complaint, filed Wednesday, comes after the zoo announced it had artificially inseminated its elephant Chai.
“It is grossly irresponsible for the Woodland Park Zoo to continue breeding elephants, knowing that any infant born there faces a high risk of disease and death,” said Catherine Doyle, IDA campaign director, in a release. “IDA is calling on the USDA to stop the reckless breeding of elephants in herpes-affected zoos.”
Read reporter Susan Gilmore’s full article here.
32 responses so far ↓
1 Guy Phinney // Mar 17, 2010 at 5:34 pm
“Grossly irresponsible”? I think those who make such ridiculous remarks are grossly ignorant of the facts. If we don’t continue helping the elephants in zoos to reproduce we won’t have any elephants at all on the planet within a few decades.
The “let’s not have elephant babies because they might die” is as stupid as saying “let’s not plant seeds because the sprouts might get eaten by slugs.”
2 MM // Mar 17, 2010 at 6:55 pm
There is an elephant refuge in Tennessee, with appropriate climate, adequate space to roam, and a very experienced veterinary team who are willing to take these elephants from the zoo, free of charge, and provide them with adequate care and a better environment.
Elephants in this zoo environment and similar zoo environments have high rates of disease, lower life expectancies, and higher infant mortality than elephants who live in appropriate wildlife refuge facilities.
I think the issue here is that the current strategy by the WPZ is basically a death sentence for the babies, and the complaint is asking that they stop this practice. The idea is not to stop the poor policy, period, but to replace it with policies that will actually help elephants to make it a better possibility that there *will* be more on the planet.
3 Taco Fart // Mar 17, 2010 at 6:55 pm
You know what’s stupid is that fact we have elephants in the Pacific Northwest. They don’t belong here.
4 Penny // Mar 17, 2010 at 7:12 pm
These animals should be free and not for human entertainment. Why oh why do zoos still exist?!
5 Huh? // Mar 17, 2010 at 7:53 pm
How does filing a complaint with the USDA constitute “suing” the zoo?
6 Guy Phinney // Mar 17, 2010 at 8:21 pm
Oh yes, let’s have elephants roaming about freely throughout Seattle. That would be so beneficial to elephants and it wouldn’t be entertaining at all.
If humans didn’t ever see elephants would they even care about them? Out of sight, out of mind. Let’s think about elephants in zoos being the ambassadors for those in the wild. The wild, by the way, is rapidly disappearing because humans are far too reproductively successful.
If we want to see more elephants roaming the “wild” we need to do something about the human population. Think about what that might be. Maybe you like the idea, maybe you don’t.
7 Tahomajim // Mar 17, 2010 at 9:04 pm
Guy Phinney, you state things perfectly and correctly. I don’t need to comment beyond your appropriate comment.
I have a question for Doree, How do the new Phinneywood.com rules of decentcy apply to commentator #3 named Taco Fart? In bold type I might add.
I’m curious….. I find that offensive. Please explain.
8 Taco Fart // Mar 17, 2010 at 9:28 pm
My name… is beautiful.
9 Whopper // Mar 17, 2010 at 9:36 pm
“Why oh why do zoos still exist?!”
To drive the cuckoos nuts.
10 Coffee:Black // Mar 18, 2010 at 12:44 am
Penny, while I don’t think that elephants should have been put into captivity in the first place, the fact is that we have a captive elephant population that will probably not be able to survive on their own in the wild and that we should attempt to maintain regardless of the risks, whether or not that is in a zoo or a “sanctuary.” It is naive to think that humans will leave the natural resources alone in game preserves and protected lands in the wild forever. Very soon we will come really close to running out of fossil fuels and we will push our way into whatever area to get it, laws and customs be damned, our own government has already done it and I wouldn’t doubt that other countries will follow suit when they become desperate enough. One day very soon, because of that fact the captive elephants may be the only ones left on earth.
It is also stupid to think that the money raised and the research done by zoo’s doesn’t benefit other animals. There are animals at the WPZ that are extinct in the wild would you condemn them to death simply because you have a pre-formulated concept of zoos as torture factories. The conservation programs that they support and raise money to help many animals in their natural habitat. One such program is the Snow Leopard Trust, an animal way more endangered than elephants, that was founded by a former employee of the zoo. They tested the radio tracking collars they are using to track the wild population on the captive snow leopards at the zoo to make sure they were not too invasive or uncomfortable for the ones in the wild and most of their proceeds go to population tracking and trying to build a new form of economy for the local people living in the area so they don’t have to farm as much and kill the already small population of leopards when they kill part of their herd.
11 Coffee:Black // Mar 18, 2010 at 12:57 am
MM, the zoo won’t transport their elephants to Tennessee for a couple of reasons; one, the AZA (Association of Zoo’s and Aquariums) has a bit of a personal issue with the Elephant Sanctuary due to the fact that they won’t abide by AZA standards, including things like having more than one member of their vet staff who has any specific training in dealing with elephants and the zoo does get it’s accreditation from the AZA .
Two, there is a substantial money issue when it comes to the elephants, the zoo does make a lot of money for the other animals and conservation programs they support because of them, not to mention that most people won’t give a crap about an animal and want to donate any of their time or money to them without seeing them first. We are a very visually based society and words just don’t cut it.
Three, statistically 1 in 5 elephants born in captivity in the US dies of some form of elephant Herpes, it’s an epidemic. Since all of the Sanctuary’s elephants come from zoos and circuses their elephants have the same problem. In fact, with more elephants in a confined space they have more of a problem than the 3 elephants at the WPZ because a bigger population means more infected and more infected means that they have a better chance of infecting others.
Four, a sanctuary in Tennessee is still just a big confined area, essentially just a big zoo. Shhhh… it’s a big secret, don’t tell anyone. Haven’t you ever heard the phrase, “A gilded cage is still a cage?”
12 Peter Dickinson // Mar 18, 2010 at 3:58 am
Please Read Zoo Misconceptions:
http://hubpages.com/_13rz0ikcd0g1v/hub/Zoo-Misconceptions
My personal thoughts on these issues from forty years working within zoos.
13 Tahomajim // Mar 18, 2010 at 6:07 am
Taco Fart, your name sounds like a ethnic slur to me.
If you and Doree think “it’s beautiful .” I must be prudish or something.
14 mybackhurts // Mar 18, 2010 at 7:00 am
Yep TJ – prudish, over sensitive and itching for a fight. Thanks for the link Peter. I am proud of our local Zoos (yes, Point Defiance too)
15 HL // Mar 18, 2010 at 8:43 am
Peter Dickinson’s link is well worth a read. Thanks for posting those rational thoughts to balance the elephant hysteria we seem to get in large quantities on here.
16 Robert // Mar 18, 2010 at 9:22 am
Taco Fart – we have European Starlings in the Pacific Northwest that are not natives – what are you doing to remove them from the area?
The animal rights people are getting desperate and hoping their half-truths will sway a judge.
17 Coffee:Black // Mar 18, 2010 at 9:31 am
Yes, thank you Peter. I hope people will read it, although there are many people with a solid stance on their beliefs who will not let go of them after a simple article. In many respects it’s like a religion, although it’s mainly just a fear of being wrong about something. One so strong that they drown out all other new information that flies in the face of their preconceptions.
18 Doree // Mar 18, 2010 at 10:43 am
Huh? #5 – You’re right, the word “sue” was incorrect. I just changed it. Thanks for the catch.
19 Huh? // Mar 18, 2010 at 11:50 am
“files complaint zoo”
20 MM // Mar 18, 2010 at 3:50 pm
Thanks Coffee for those points; I hadn’t realized the first 3 at all, and led me to do some reasearch.
1. The Elephant Sanctuary willing to take the elephants is accredited by The Association of Sanctuaries, and has a compare/contrast of their standards vs. AZA standards here: http://www.elephants.com/accreditation.php
They have three vets on staff to care for the elephants. Not sure if they are all full-time though. http://www.elephants.com/physicians.php
2. Yep, nothing draws a crowd like the elephants.
3. The Elephant Sanctuary in Tenessee has a program
3. Really good point here. The epidemic is everywhere. I read on the Sanctuary site that they have a separate, special quarantine facility for elephants with contagious conditions, but found no mention of Herpes.
4. WPZ: 4 elephants on 1 acre during warm weather in the daytime, who are kept in a small indoor space for a majority of the time
Elephant Sanctuary: 23 elephants on 2,700 acres in a climate that is suitable year-round to their biology. (This issue alone is enough to sell me)
http://www.elephants.com/facilities.php
Zoos aren’t bad, and the WPZ isn’t an evil place. Zoos do lots of good things. This isn’t a blank/white good/evil issue, but I think if you look at the 2 alternatives for these elephants, one makes a lot more sense than the other.
21 Doree // Mar 18, 2010 at 5:07 pm
Dear “Huh?” – You are my new best proofreading friend! I fixed the headline. Anything else I’ve missed?
22 Colleen // Mar 18, 2010 at 6:30 pm
It’s my hope that this will entice all of us to become a bit more informed. Seems to me that the breeding of diseased animals should raise some questions and concerns. I’m off to see what information I can find. I’ll do my best to balance the sources. Thanks for peaking my interest.
23 Miriam // Mar 19, 2010 at 5:57 am
The reason young Asian calves are dying from elephant herpesviruses is because they have been housing Asian and African elephants together in zoos and circuses. Herpesviruses endemic to African elephants have shown they can “jump” species and have been killing young Asian eles. Zoos have known this danger since 1995 and have ignored their own AZA guidelines cautioning against housing them together.
That’s why Hansa died. She was exposed to the African elephant, Watoto, her whole life. Her own mother, Chai, is probably infected too. But it’s the calves who get sick from them. Any calf born at WPZ is likely to get sick and die like Hansa did. The zoo knows it and they’re doing it anyway. Doesn’t sound to me as though they care much about these poor little “sitting ducks”. Sounds to me as though they’re treating them as disposable commodities. I think the complaints to the USDA are completely justified. Hoefully, the USDA will finally enforce the Animal Welfare Act which they have done a miserable job of enforcing.
I don’t think TJ, and some others here care about these facts. And they are facts.
24 Robert // Mar 19, 2010 at 6:33 am
Miriam – It is you who don’t seem to care about the facts.
Herpevirus is not the only cause of death and your “facts” about Herpes is distorted. Yes, Watoto tested positive for herpes, but what evidence do you offer that it was the same strain that killed Hansa? Have there been positive tests on the other 2 elephants? Do you offer any proof other than one elephant dying of herpes that any other calf born in the zoo will come down with the same virus, or is it you “expert” opinion from your years of studying elephant biology. You also say “That’s why Hansa died. She was exposed to the African elephant, Watoto, her whole life.” – so have Chai and Watoto, but neither of them has died from herpes. That is a lousy correlation backed up by nothing. Can you prove the source of the virus that killed Hansa is actually Watoto.
I love the new animal rights strategy – use Watoto’s positive test to argue that it should mean the end to breeding without presenting all of the facts about the herpesvirus – like in humans, there are multiple strains, most are not deadly and most have only be identified in Asian or African and not both.
25 Nancy // Mar 19, 2010 at 7:20 am
Robert, it is the zoo industry’s own statistics that show it is Aisan calves under 10 who are dying from these herpesviruses, not adults and not African elephants. These viruses are endemic to African elephants but have shown they can “jump” species and are killing the members of the Asian species that have immature immune systems (the calves).
The zoo industry’s own guidelines have cautioned against housing the two species together because of the herpes risk. I would refer you to AZA Standards for Elephant Management and Care 3.2.13. Those guidelines have been in place since about 1996. You should ask yourself why zoos like Woodland Park have ignored those guidelines/warnings.
This is not rocket science, Robert. These are basic infection control principles that are at play here. We know the type and level of exposure Hansa had. Any subsequent calf will have the same type and level of exposure. If it was sufficient for Hansa to become infected, get sick and die, it will certainly be enough for another calf to do the same. The risk is huge. It is, in fact, unacceptable.
26 Whopper // Mar 19, 2010 at 4:21 pm
So basically if this elephant doesn’t get the clap, we’re off the hook?
27 Robert // Mar 19, 2010 at 5:05 pm
Nancy – you and your group never actually answer questions, do you? I know what the guidelines say, and yes the zoo does not follow the guidelines as they are a recommendation, not a mandate. There are AZA guidelines that plenty of zoos do not follow (and I am sure there are plenty of AZA recommendations involving other animals that WPZ does not follow – why don’t you go after the zoo for those also?), and I am sure they have a good reason, not the sinister ones that you seem to think they have.
You keep saying you know all of this stuff about the exposure, etc. How about backing it up for once. You are not a scientist, you are not a virologist and you are not an elephant expert, so how about showing a source to back up your statements. If another calf would become infected, then you know the source of the virus – which why won’t you share it. It isn’t rocket science, but asking someone to back up their statements is something that they teach 5th graders in school and your group tends to ignore requests for proof or just changes the subject when someone calls you out on it or proves you wrong.
28 Nancy // Mar 20, 2010 at 7:05 am
Robert, I gave you your own industry’s guidelines on herpes and the danger of housing Asian and African elephants together. Don’t you consider them to be “experts”? And how do you know what I am?
Violation of this AZA guidelines cost Hansa her life. Perhaps you don’t consider that to be important, but some of us do. People who really cared about her do.
29 Robert // Mar 21, 2010 at 6:55 am
Nancy – you are not answering my question. You seem so certain about the inevitability of another herpes infection, so please, let us know the source of the infection. Heck your group can’t even get the basic facts right about elephants, so how can I believe anything you say under the guise of “best interest of the elephants.”
I am pretty sure you are Nancy Pennington from FOWPZE – so if you are, I know for a fact that you are not an elephant expert. And if you aren’t you sure spout the same company line as she does.
You say I don’t care about elephants or Hansa. You have no idea who I am. I can guarantee that I have done more to promote elephant conservation that you have – I speak to people every week about what wild elephants are facing and what needs to be done to help that situation (which your group doesn’t even seem to acknowledge). I have spent countless hours researching the false statements that your group makes and documenting the correct information, which your group just tends to ignore, and I am was at the zoo shortly after Hansa died, grieving with many of the volunteers and staff, of which 2 of the elephant keepers are friends of mine.
30 Nancy // Mar 21, 2010 at 7:09 am
Obviously you don’t know who I am. The source of the infection? Watoto, the zoo’s African elephant. This is confirmed by the zoo’s own records. There is no “company line” to spout other than facts. If you don’t want to deal with those facts, I can’t help that.
31 Tahomajim // Mar 21, 2010 at 8:39 pm
Nancy, I’d like to know who you are. Who are you?
Who are you Ms. WPZ know -it – all?
Before you write again PLEASE tell who you are.
You must be somebody….. with expertise and…….knowledge..???
We don’t want your phone number. I want to know your credentials. Please detail.
32 Coffee:Black // Mar 29, 2010 at 7:17 pm
Actually, Nancy, I would like to know who you are too. You statement there seems like you want us to think that you are some anonymous whistle blower or something. If this is the case then why not come forward and state your sources. It’s not as if there aren’t other zoo’s in the world that you can work at and as far as I can tell the AZA and zoos in general won’t send goons to your house to silence you. They are non-profit groups not the mafia, so if you are an remotely qualified and are speaking out about some carefully hidden secret then maybe you should put risk aside and speak up if you really care about the animals you spend so much time talking about.
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