Apparently moving a bunch of elephants is difficult
Turns out that sending the Toronto Zoo’s elephants to balmier climes is tricky business. The Globe and Mail reports the zoo could lose its accreditation if it sends the pachyderms to an elephant sanctuary in California. Over the last few months the three elephants have proven to be something of a political hot potato: first, the zoo board said in May that the best place for them was another certified zoo; then a motion from councillor Michelle Berardinetti in October asked to send them to a Bob Barker–approved sanctuary instead (effectively undermining the zoo board in the process); now, a staff report says the animals should be sent to a certified Florida facility. The fight will likely continue when the zoo board meets again on Thursday. Read the entire story [Globe and Mail] »
Of course the Toronto Zoo Board of Management and the Toronto Zoo staff should be the only ones making this choice. This is so obvious to me.
This has become about activist bullying and political gains not about the animals. If it were not for a non-factual “fact” sheet given to the Toronto City Councillors and the fact that it was a late night “motion without notice” this would never have passed, ever.
The zookeepers know the animals are moving ask yourself why they wouldnt want them to find the best home. They did find the best home, it is a facility called TNEC (The National Elephant Centre) and it is a state of the art facility being built in Florida that is AZA accredited and larger than PAWS. The Toronto Zoo wants their elephants to go there and it will be ready and willing to provide a home for the elephants in September 2012.
Why did Michelle Berdinetti go to PAWS after she held the vote? Who paid for the trip? Why didn’t she ask the Zookeepers what she should be looking for in terms of animal care…or a better question – why did she go at all? She is not a Toronto Zoo Board Member…..
Moving elephants is really difficult – no question. But IFAW recently moved 83 elephants in Malawi. Here’s a video of the move http://www.ifaw.org/us/our-work/elephants/successful-move if you are interested.Granted, moving from Toronto to Florida would be a bit of a longer distance but the infrastructure is a bit better than what is found in Malawi!
guess it is hard when the sanctuary in questions lies about having tuberculosis infected elephants even though the zoo and board specifically stated that no facility with tuberculosis will be considered. Hoping Torontonians will research the truth and the facts in this case and do the right thing this time and not let themselves be influenced by emotional propaganda from the anti zoo coalitions of the world.