2012 Top Ten Worst Zoos for Elephants

tigris115

tigris115

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Help Elephants (IDA) - Top Ten Worst Zoos for Elephants - 2012

Another year and another list by IDA.
Oh silly IDA, won't they ever learn?:p

1.Edmonton Valley Zoo, Alberta, Canada
2.Bowmanville Zoo, Bowmanville, Canada
3.Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle, Washington
4.Bronx Zoo, Bronx, New York
5.Buttonwood Park Zoo, New Bedford, Massachusetts
6.Niabi Zoo, Coal Valley, Illinois
7.Oregon Zoo, Portland, Oregon
8.Saint Louis Zoo, St. Louis, Missouri
9.Rosamond Gifford Zoo, Syracuse, New York
10.Africam Safari, Puebla, Mexico

Dishonorable Mention: Lowry Park Zoo
 
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This year's list drives me crazy, but when doesn't it? It seems some zoos are not judge on the quality of their exhibit, because it seems to them no zoo exhibit would ever be good enough, but by decisions that the zoo has made about their elephants. For example, isolating bull elephants in smaller exhibits, even though the main exhibit may be very spacious. Or keeping elderly elephants together instead of forcing them to move in their delicate state.

Sometimes they mention a zoo that I can agree with, but then it won't show up on their list again and it baffles me. They're just getting nitpicky at this point.
 
blospz said:
This year's list drives me crazy, but when doesn't it? It seems some zoos are not judge on the quality of their exhibit, because it seems to them no zoo exhibit would ever be good enough, but by decisions that the zoo has made about their elephants. For example, isolating bull elephants in smaller exhibits, even though the main exhibit may be very spacious. Or keeping elderly elephants together instead of forcing them to move in their delicate state.

Sometimes they mention a zoo that I can agree with, but then it won't show up on their list again and it baffles me. They're just getting nitpicky at this point.
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I agree 100%, as this year's list is just plain stupid. One could argue that the two Canadian zoos and Niabi in Illinois are all worthy to be included, but most of the rest of the facilities should never appear on these dumb lists. The IDA should really focus on the quality of the actual zoo exhibits rather than pinpointing other factors. If that was the case then zoos like San Antonio, Topeka, Santa Barbara, Fresno Chaffee, Audubon, Baton Rouge, Buffalo, Milwaukee County, El Paso, Little Rock, Louisville and Point Defiance would be included. If I'm not mistaken those 12 zoos all have only two elephants in puny little paddocks. Some have plans to expand their exhibits or phase out elephants completely, but the dozen that I listed makes for a much more realistic "worst list" than anything produced by the IDA.
 
I'm not trying to defend IDA and nor do I know the situation at all of the zoos listed but it is titled 'Worst Zoos FOR Elephants'. They aren't basing the criteria solely on the quality of the exhibit but also on the quality of life for the elephants that call it home. Woodland Park Zoo, for example, has an acceptable exhibit but the elephants that live there don't seem to be compatible and therefore aren't able to utilise all of the space on offer and sometimes have to be separated. If a cohesive family unit were exhibited then it would be ridiculous to see WPZ on this list but, as it stands, there is quite a bit of room for improvement.
 
PAT said:
I'm not trying to defend IDA and nor do I know the situation at all of the zoos listed but it is titled 'Worst Zoos FOR Elephants'. They aren't basing the criteria solely on the quality of the exhibit but also on the quality of life for the elephants that call it home. Woodland Park Zoo, for example, has an acceptable exhibit but the elephants that live there don't seem to be compatible and therefore aren't able to utilise all of the space on offer and sometimes have to be separated. If a cohesive family unit were exhibited then it would be ridiculous to see WPZ on this list but, as it stands, there is quite a bit of room for improvement.
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You make a solid point Pat. In the case of Woodland Park there are many negatives that cause bad press: the small size of the exhibit; the fact that there is one African and two Asian elephants; the ridiculously small barn; all 3 elephants are never together as there is incompatibility; the death of Hansa at the age of 6 due to a herpesvirus; and the annual protests outside of the zoo. In fact, I rarely read about any positives and it would not shock me if one day the zoo phased out elephants and went with Indian Rhinos in the exhibit as that would end all of the controversy and in fact shed a positive light on the zoo.
 
ThylacineAlive said:
Why is Bronx on the list? There exhibit didn't seem too bad to me.

~Thylo:cool:
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Did you read the Bronx Zoo's section on that list at all? Please, read before you post something like that. I actually do agree that Happy should be sent somewhere else, but IDA didn't include the reason why she was seperated from the other two elephants. The reason why is because she doesn't get along with one of the other elephants, and they fight if put together, so she must be alone.
I agree with SL's statement, and with PAT's as well, that some zoos like the Canadian zoos, Niabi, and Buttonwood, but a lot of what they post on their lists is BS. They call themselves "animal-activists", but really won't rest until they see every zoo closed down. They are hypocrites themselves, since they don't even do anything to "help" the elephants besides post this pointless list once a year!
 
Apparently the Rosamond Gifford zoo is on the list because they acquired a bull from Ringling. Essentially being reprimanded for being a conducive link to genetic diversity in North America, and more importantly their own breeding herd.

I personally cannot defend Woodland park, as I feel Chai should be moved south to Los Angeles, as it is evident that AI is not the most efficient means of producing a calf. And even if a calf was to be produced in the coming years, the herd environment is currently quite volatile.

Oregon zoo is on the list for having taken part in a standard breeding loan agreement, once again with the intent of increasing genetic diversity and furthering the species in captivity. The zoo has since sought to buy the calf for over $500,000 dollars in an effort to appease the public, but the real issue here and with Rosamond is that IDA/PETA hate circuses (HATWT and Ringling) more so than they hate zoos.

Also, the claims posted regarding the St. Louis zoo are anything but true.... and illogical...
"As is the fate with other bull elephants in zoos, once Raja's genes are deemed overrepresented he’ll likely be sent elsewhere for breeding or reduced to a life as a sperm donor for other zoos"
If his genetics are deemed over represented, why on earth would he be utilized in an AI program?
Raja is socialized with the herd on a regular basis. He is absolutely not restricted to one yard as the herd rotates between the three main yards on a regular basis. I have seen him first hand in the new one acre lush enclosure "elephant woods." The comments on EEHV1 being present at the zoo are somewhat redundant as STLzoo is a national leader on treating the virus, and as a result their newest calf has not shown symptoms and the previous two juveniles are not currently exhibiting active virus characteristics.

In the Lowry Park zoo section it said Mbali gave birth in November, when she actually gave birth on December 24th. I would greatly appreciate IDA using factual information. Also, the import of the Swazi animals was a rescue, as the SDSP and LPZ annually donate enough money to sustain the main national parks of the country. Something that other national parks offering space could not have done, nor payed for the cost of transporting eleven elephants.

They have listed Dallas on the honorable mention for the past two years... Only because they have the misconception that Dallas will never breed elephants and only hold geriatric and post reproductive animals. When the facility was designed with calves and bulls in mind. When animals become available I assure you Dallas will be involved in breeding.

UGHHHHH IDA :(((((
 
Can this thread be moved out of the Zoo Cafe? A lot of members do not read the threads in this part of the forum, which is specifically for non-zoo and non-animal related discussions, which this is clearly not. It belongs in the General Zoo Discussion forum, or perhaps the US forum. There are a couple of other threads in here too which belong elsewhere.
 
I wonder how long before Birmingham makes this esteemed list. And I have heard that when Ajani or Callee get breeding age they will move to Dallas so Dallas will eventually have a family unit.

These people are just nuts trying to get hits on a website nothing more.
 
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