Worldwide Demonstrations June 20 Will Highlight Elephant-Sized Controversy at Zoos
Actress Lily Tomlin calls for "mammoth changes" for captive elephants
SAN RAFAEL, Calif., June 18 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Saturday, In Defense of Animals (IDA) and activists in over 30 cities will educate the public about the plight of elephants in zoos. Many international experts and scientists (www.helpelephants.com/experts_speak.html) now conclude that elephant captivity does not equal elephant conservation, and that earth's largest land mammals do not belong in cramped and unnatural zoo exhibits where they sicken and die prematurely.
What: International Day of Action for Elephants in Zoos
When: Saturday, June 20, 2009
Where: Over 30 cities including Tucson, Arizona; Los Angeles, San Diego, Vallejo, California; Washington, D.C.; Miami, Sanford, Florida; Atlanta, Georgia; Chicago, Illinois; New Bedford, Massachusetts; St. Louis, Missouri; Albuquerque, New Mexico; Bronx, New York; Cleveland, Ohio; Portland, Oregon; Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Greenville, South Carolina; Dallas, San Antonio, Texas; Salt Lake City, Utah; Seattle, Tacoma, Vancouver, Washington; and internationally in Australia, Canada, France, Spain, Thailand, and Mexico.
"Zoos can no longer ignore the mounting scientific evidence of the devastating effects of captivity on elephants," said Elliot M. Katz, DVM, IDA President. "It's absurd to claim zoos are saving elephants when they're actually killing them decades before their natural time. Zoos are consumers of elephants, not conservators."
IDA emphasized:
Wild elephants walk long distances daily in home ranges measuring hundreds of square miles. The typical zoo exhibit confines elephants to a few acres or less.
Over half the elephants who died in Association of Zoos and Aquariums-accredited zoos since 2000 did not reach the age of 40; natural elephants lifespan is 60-70 years.
Elephants in zoos suffer serious health and psychological problems, including chronic foot infections, arthritis, abnormal behaviors, early infertility, high infant mortality and stillbirth rates.
"Keeping elephants in zoos has nothing to do with saving them in the wild," said IDA elephant specialist Suzanne Roy. "Zoos cannot use conservation to justify putting elephants on display in conditions that cause years of misery and early death."
Zoos are spending over $500 million on new exhibits for 200 elephants, and U.S. zoos spend over $16 millionannually to display elephants. By contrast:
$400,000 is the entire annual budget for Kenya's Amboseli Elephant Research Project, protecting 1,400 elephants.
$10,000 annually supports an anti-poaching team in Thailand.
$25 million is the annual budget for the Kenya Wildlife Service, which protects diverse wildlife populations, including over 30,000 elephants across more than 20,000 square miles. (The combined size of all US zoo elephant enclosures is less than 1 square mile).
The money spent on elephants in American zoos could save entire populations of elephants in Asia and Africa.
"On Saturday the world will learn about the suffering elephants endure in zoos," said Roy. "An educated public will no longer tolerate such cruelty."
In Defense of Animals is an international animal rescue and protection organization based in California. IDA supports anti-poaching patrols in Kenya; raises funds for research and conservation in Asia and Africa; operates a sanctuary for chimpanzee orphans in Cameroon, works to stop the bushmeat trade; fights to stop the mass slaughter of dolphins in Japan and the killing of baby seals, sea lions, elk, buffalo, wild horses and many other species throughout the world.
