Detroit Zoo director Ron Kagan made huge waves back in May when he announced the Detroit Zoo was closing its elephant exhibit based solely on ethical considerations. He was quoted as saying elephants "are the only animals at the zoo for which there is a great disparity between what they need and what we can provide." Kagan submitted a plan to the American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA) to send Wanda and Winky -- ages 51 and 46 -- to an elephant sanctuary in a more favorable climate where they could have many acres to roam alongside other Asian elephants. Wanda and Winky suffer from chronic arthritis and foot problems – often fatal conditions common to zoo elephants. Wanda is reported to be in particularly poor shape.

 

The AZA quashed Detroit's humane plan when they recently announced their decision to send Wanda and Winky to the Columbus Zoo in Ohio, instead of an elephant sanctuary. Columbus is known for its long and bitterly cold winters, and this will surely accelerate the elephants' foot and joint problems since the two elephants will have to remain indoors where exercise and enrichment will be restricted."

 

The AZA should declare both elephants "surplus," meaning they are no longer an integral part of the AZA's Species Survival Plan breeding objectives. The Detroit Zoo would then be able to send the elephants to a sanctuary.

 

 

1. Contact the AZA and urge them to allow the Detroit Zoo to retire the elephants without losing its accreditation:

 

You can use the following points to help you write your letter:

 

  • The AZA should make the humane decision to declare Wanda and Winky as "surplus" animals so they can be retired to sanctuaries.
  • Wanda and Winky deserve to be retired to a sanctuary where they can live out their lives in a more natural setting where they can swim in ponds, roll in the mud, and interact with other Asian elephants.
  • Since Wanda and Winky have been serving the public their entire lives, they deserve to be retired.
  • At a sanctuary, Wanda and Winky would receive optimum care, equal to that of any AZA accredited zoo.
  • AZA zoos have sent elephants to sanctuaries in the past.
  • The Columbus Zoo is not the place for these girls! The harsh winters will only exacerbate the girls’ foot and joint problems.

Contact:
Sydney Butler
Executive Director
The American Zoo and Aquarium Association
8403 Colesville Rd., Ste. 710
Silver Spring, MD 20910-3314
Tel.: (301) 562-0777
Fax: (301) 562-0888
E-mail: Sbutler@aza.org

 

2. Contact Ron Kagan, director of the Detroit Zoo and thank him for his compassionate, ethical decision to retire the elephants. Let him know that the entire humane community stands behind his decision.

 

Ron Kagan, Director
Detroit Zoological Institute
8450 W. Ten Mile Rd.
Royal Oak, MI 48068-0039
Tel.: (248) 398-0900
Fax: (248) 398-0504
Online comment form:  http://www.detroitzoo.org/contact/contact_form.asp#feedback

 
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