Warning: U.S. elephant protest day

Arizona Docent

Arizona Docent

Well-Known Member
15+ year member
Be aware that this Saturday, June 20, In Defense Of Animals is planning a massive zoo elephant protest day. They will be at several U.S. zoos, plus a few in other countries. To see if your zoo is on their list, visit their link at Help Elephants (IDA) - IDEAZ

They even plan to protest San Diego - what do they think, they're going to tear up their new $45 million exhibit???

Of course, confronting them only adds fuel to the fire, the best policy is probably to ignore them or correct their inaccuracies to concerned visitors (but not get into a confrontation with them directly). I just thought everyone should know about this, in case you plan on going to the zoo this Saturday.
 
I agree that nasty confrontation just pleases IDA, but I think that it is unwise to lie low. If all the media has is anti-zoo protesters then the story will be about how awful zoos are.

Zoo supporters ought to be as loud and visible as they can be.
 
Blackduiker

Zooplantman said:
I agree that nasty confrontation just pleases IDA, but I think that it is unwise to lie low. If all the media has is anti-zoo protesters then the story will be about how awful zoos are.

Zoo supporters ought to be as loud and visible as they can be.
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Concerning one of my own personal experiences that happened, not at a zoo but the circus. Some 8 or 9 years ago, I was taking my family to see Ringling Brothers at the Los Angeles Sports Arena, and as in previous years the animal rights protesters were out in force. I won't get into the whole whether or not elephants or other animals should be in circuses argument here, but this group was strictly concerned about the treatment of elephants.

Once again, I remind my fellow ZooChat memebers that I happen to be African-American and pretty easy going most of the time. Now I can agree that some of the prodding tools used by some handlers in circuses and zoos do look a bit crude, but it seemed the major concern of these protesters that day was the "dignity" of elephants that was being taken away from them, making them have to perform tricks 2 to 3 times a day. But what really caused my blood to boil, was their chant as they stood there, that "the treatment of elephants in the circus was "worst than slavery." Now mind you, I had just finished reading one the memoirs of Frederick Douglass, the former slave and abolitionist, about his own slave experiences; the starvations, beatings, rapes and just down right cruelties he personally witnessed and experienced. So needless to say, I was feeling quite angry for several weeks after.

Then here comes this group of young caucasian, barely away from the comforts of mom and dad wackos, screaming to a large crowd which included many of my own ethnicity, "making elephants perform in the circus is worst than slavery!" My response to each one of them as I passed them while waiting in line? "Slaves never had it so good!" Even getting into a face-to-face confrontation with a young lady, right in front of the arena entrance, who was enraged by my words in response to their anti-circus elephant performances rants. She shouted at me "you need to teach your children about the evils of making animals perform in the circus!" To which I responded back, "take the time to learn of the treatment of slaves in American history before you make such an outrageous statement!"

By this time she was screaming at the top-of-her lungs, and joined by a few more of her supporters. One fanatical male protester was even standing above the entrance as everyone entered, continuing the insensitive chant and holding a sign. LAPD then started taking action against the getting out of control group of protesters, as I made my way into the arena with my wife and two sons. My wife then whispered sarcastically to me, "look what you started, you got them all upset."
I didn't start it, but I could no longer keep silent about the garbage they were saying.:mad:

My apologies fellow ZooChat members for taking this brief moment to vent.
 
I went to the San Diego Zoo yesterday not knowing they'd be there. There didn't seem to be that many of them, and they weren't really vocal either, just passing out literature.

I do find it odd that they'd protest at SD considering they just built a new and large exhibit for them and they've saved elephants from being killed in Africa and brought them to a good exhibit at the Wild Animal Park. But I guess doing it at the SD Zoo brings more publicity, and they probably don't care how good an exhibit is, they don't want elephants in zoos.

There are many animals at the SD Zoo that are in depressing exhibits that lead to poor lives, the elephants are not among them imo.
 
I heard that at the LA zoo there wasn't as many and were not as loud as before, so they just gave up and left.
 
Blackduiker

They were here in Los Angeles as well, and it was all over the media. Do you know that Bob Barker and his band of followers still want the mayor to end construction of Pachyderm Forest? After all we've been through over the last 3 years here, and the overwhelming support of the majority here in greater Los Angeles for the completion of the project. After awhile, one must conclude that ego must have something to do with it, and maybe Mr. Barker's pride being hurt on top of that. It doesn't matter to him what the majority of experts and citizens have to say about it.
 
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They accused the Toronto Zoo of having aggressive elephants . . . So not the case. In every visit (I go every few months or so), I've never once seen them being aggressive with one another.

The Canadian Press: Group demonstrates against treatment of elephants at Toronto Zoo

This particular ele had health problems (she had problems with her trunk, it was difficult for her to pick up food), that I'm sure would have complicated her life in the wild. Who would have attempted to save her in the wild if that happened?
 
Meaghan Edwards said:
They accused the Toronto Zoo of having aggressive elephants . . . So not the case. In every visit (I go every few months or so), I've never once seen them being aggressive with one another.

The Canadian Press: Group demonstrates against treatment of elephants at Toronto Zoo

This particular ele had health problems (she had problems with her trunk, it was difficult for her to pick up food), that I'm sure would have complicated her life in the wild. Who would have attempted to save her in the wild if that happened?
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She would have fallen prey to predators and scavengers in no time.
 
These elephant activists don't know anything about elephants. In particular to Toronto because they say elephants aren't aggressive naturally in the wild and that it is a sterotypical behaviour that they do in captivity. They even claim elephants can live to there 80's, I haven't come across a document that even says there average lifespan in 50?

O and let me add, according to the activists the Toronto Zoo uses hooks to train elephants, I can assure you that, that is absolute b***s**t!

According to that website AZA acreddited zoos keep there elephants chained up, as well as having no vets look after them, and all zoos cature elephants from the wild, still today!?

And on there website they are trying to tell taxpayers that zoos are a burden!
 
There were apparently 7 protesters at Reid Park Zoo (I wasn't there), this from a docent email. I haven't heard anything else, but I did pick up the Sunday newspaper today and there was no mention of it whatsoever.

FYI to activists - in the almost 40 years that Reid Park has had elephants, we have NEVER chained them up at night.
 
I honestly don't know what to think of this, it is great that they are standing up for the rights and well being of the elephants but sometimes they can be over the top and put forward accusations that aren't true.
But most of the time they are there with a good cause.
 
So, this protest day ended with... well, nothing much?

Good, because zoos do really much for elephants. We don't need a stupid shout 'zoos - bad, sanctuaries - good'.
 
I actually agree with a lot of what they stand for, however, I obviously feel they're way too harsh on zoo's. Plenty of zoo's provide good habitats for elephants, and I think a lot of their criticism is unfair. Although I think LA should have sent Billy elsewhere while building the new exhibit and some zoos are not providing elephants with a proper habitat.

I also wish they would focus on other animals in zoos as well. I don't think it makes sense to protest the San Diego Zoo for elephants considering their new exhibit, expanding the already good WAP exhibit, their overall good record with the animals, their efforts in conservation, and the fact that they saved some from being killed.

Now there are other things that the SD Zoo that can be called out for, the cage for the gibbons for example is just awful, and there are many other small bar cages for animals that should have more space.
 
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