The IDA’s new Worst Zoos for Elephants list is here. Feel free to judge their choices as you wish.
10 Worst Zoos for Elephants 2021
10 Worst Zoos for Elephants 2021
IDA’s Top 10 Worst Zoos for Elephants 2021
- Thread starter SharkFinatic
- Start date
I don't have the time or energy to make an elaborate response discussing each choice in detail, but I do just want to say the amount of times they claim these elephants are suffering from brain damage is almost laughable. What a genuinely dumb thing to say, but that's nothing new from this organization.
I also found something about these captions really funny. There just reach so hard and it shows how easily they can and will negatively spin literally every aspect of captive elephant behavior.
"Male elephant Vusmusi stands behind a fence in a closed off area during a training session. He has seen many elephants die at Fresno Chaffee Zoo."
"Happy reaches for grass and freedom just beyond the bounds of the Bronx Zoo elephant enclosure."
This one too,
"The areas that zoos provide elephants are too small for a family of meerkats, let alone elephants. In human terms, the captive enclosure for elephants would be equivalent to a small family of humans living their entire life in a bathroom."
Also Natural Bridge wasn't on the list this time, so that implies that all of these zoos are now worse than them somehow.
I also found something about these captions really funny. There just reach so hard and it shows how easily they can and will negatively spin literally every aspect of captive elephant behavior.
"Male elephant Vusmusi stands behind a fence in a closed off area during a training session. He has seen many elephants die at Fresno Chaffee Zoo."
"Happy reaches for grass and freedom just beyond the bounds of the Bronx Zoo elephant enclosure."
This one too,
"The areas that zoos provide elephants are too small for a family of meerkats, let alone elephants. In human terms, the captive enclosure for elephants would be equivalent to a small family of humans living their entire life in a bathroom."
Also Natural Bridge wasn't on the list this time, so that implies that all of these zoos are now worse than them somehow.
The more airtime that IDA gets, the further they are to achieving their insipid, vapid goals. They're probably the kind of people to have a "live, laugh, love" sign in their home. I doubt even PETA is this disingenuous, and they've said some doozies.I don't have the time or energy to make an elaborate response discussing each choice in detail, but I do just want to say the amount of times they claim these elephants are suffering from brain damage is almost laughable. What a genuinely dumb thing to say, but that's nothing new from this organization.
I also found something about these captions really funny. There just reach so hard and it shows how easily they can and will negatively spin literally every aspect of captive elephant behavior.
"Male elephant Vusmusi stands behind a fence in a closed off area during a training session. He has seen many elephants die at Fresno Chaffee Zoo."
"Happy reaches for grass and freedom just beyond the bounds of the Bronx Zoo elephant enclosure."
This one too,
"The areas that zoos provide elephants are too small for a family of meerkats, let alone elephants. In human terms, the captive enclosure for elephants would be equivalent to a small family of humans living their entire life in a bathroom."
Also Natural Bridge wasn't on the list this time, so that implies that all of these zoos are now worse than them somehow.
Baba Dioum once said, "In the end, we will save what we love. We will love only what we understand. And we will understand only what we are taught". And this here is why zoos are important, for fostering connections and acting as a stationary ark for rare and endangered species. The fact that IDA/PETA and their ilk choose to ignore this to further their agenda just goes to show how disingenuous, shallow, sanctimonious and downright supercilious they really are.
Aardwolf
Well-Known Member
Helpful tip - if you copy text from the article and paste it here (or at least just put the list itself), people will be able to read it or get the facts without clicking on the link, which in turn boosts the article’s views and drives more web traffic to these guys. No sense giving them any more publicity than we need to
Yeah, pretty surprising. Seems to me they seem more intent on dragging more responsible facilities’ names through the mud for more attention than actually acting in what’s in the elephants’ best interests.
Also Natural Bridge wasn't on the list this time, so that implies that all of these zoos are now worse than them somehow.
My apologies. I’ll be sure to do so next time something like this comes around.
Zooplantman
Well-Known Member
The featured quote from the neuroscience professor is a series of unrelated, unsubstantiated statements presented together as though they formed an argument. There is no science to prove the point only a sort of "tomatoes are red; red is the color lipstick Marilyn Monroe favored; Marilyn Monroe was obsessed with tomatoes" logic
The report quoted makes statements about large animals based on research on captive orcas and applies it to whatever elephant exhibit the author chooses. This is nonsense. No work was done on elephants.
His writings refer sweepingly to the stress of captivity and environmentally impoverished exhibits without ever defining that. His bias is obvious; his science is not
The report quoted makes statements about large animals based on research on captive orcas and applies it to whatever elephant exhibit the author chooses. This is nonsense. No work was done on elephants.
His writings refer sweepingly to the stress of captivity and environmentally impoverished exhibits without ever defining that. His bias is obvious; his science is not
Couldn't have said it better myself.
The list and their reasons:
1. Edmonton Valley (one elephant for 15 years, too cold)
2. ABQ BioPark (EEHV deaths)
3. Cincinnati (small exhibit causing aggression)
4. Phoenix (one Asian elephant, too hot)
5. Bronx (do I even need to say why?)
6. Oklahoma City (small exhibit, EEHV, aggression)
7. Toledo ("transfer abuse", EEHV)
8. Los Angeles (only one male, small exhibit, too hot)
9. Fresno Chaffee (deaths including EEHV, "transfer abuse")
10. Audubon (small exhibit causing aggression)
Hall of Shame: The Preserve (rebrand of Have Trunk Will Travel, do shows, likely abusive)
Dishonorable Mention: Oregon Zoo (animals pacing, obese, EEHV, "deceptive conservation message")
Literally everything causes brain damage, according to them. The phrase occurs at least 20 times in the document.
I agree with one of these - The Preserve - and the issues with Edmonton Valley are well documented. They seem to be going after big names this time around. I can think of several places that are awful for elephants (starting with Natural Bridge Zoo), but none of them are AZA/well known places.
1. Edmonton Valley (one elephant for 15 years, too cold)
2. ABQ BioPark (EEHV deaths)
3. Cincinnati (small exhibit causing aggression)
4. Phoenix (one Asian elephant, too hot)
5. Bronx (do I even need to say why?)
6. Oklahoma City (small exhibit, EEHV, aggression)
7. Toledo ("transfer abuse", EEHV)
8. Los Angeles (only one male, small exhibit, too hot)
9. Fresno Chaffee (deaths including EEHV, "transfer abuse")
10. Audubon (small exhibit causing aggression)
Hall of Shame: The Preserve (rebrand of Have Trunk Will Travel, do shows, likely abusive)
Dishonorable Mention: Oregon Zoo (animals pacing, obese, EEHV, "deceptive conservation message")
Literally everything causes brain damage, according to them. The phrase occurs at least 20 times in the document.
I agree with one of these - The Preserve - and the issues with Edmonton Valley are well documented. They seem to be going after big names this time around. I can think of several places that are awful for elephants (starting with Natural Bridge Zoo), but none of them are AZA/well known places.
OKLAHOMA CITY HAS A SMALL EXHIBIT? That's a laugh and then some. Truly horrendous "research", considering the fact that their already large elephant exhibit was expanded on EVEN MORE with a rotational yard that mainly houses Indian rhinos.
Bengal Tiger
Well-Known Member
I had never heard of these guys, and I went to look on their website. Apparently they have support for Ricky Gervais!!! They've brainwashed celebrities. Plus, these guys are crazy, look what I found
Use and Misuse of Animal Pronouns
We compose words in every situation and take for granted the subtle ways they influence how we relate to the world around us, and how our audiences interpret their meaning; the words we choose are critically important because the way we use language matters.
When it comes to animals, the scientific consensus is clear; they are conscious beings. We would never refer to each other as it, that, or what, and we shouldn’t do it when we’re talking, or writing, about animals.
Animals cannot be discussed accurately with words we regularly use to describe inanimate objects. We should always refer to them as she/her/hers, he/him/his and they/them/theirs, along with using who, regardless of species. When we don’t know if an animal is a male or female, we should use the gender neutral they/them/theirs.
It may seem like a small thing to do, but it has such a meaningful impact for animals and elevates them from being thought of as objects to living beings who merit consideration and basic rights.
Use and Misuse of Animal Pronouns
We compose words in every situation and take for granted the subtle ways they influence how we relate to the world around us, and how our audiences interpret their meaning; the words we choose are critically important because the way we use language matters.
When it comes to animals, the scientific consensus is clear; they are conscious beings. We would never refer to each other as it, that, or what, and we shouldn’t do it when we’re talking, or writing, about animals.
Animals cannot be discussed accurately with words we regularly use to describe inanimate objects. We should always refer to them as she/her/hers, he/him/his and they/them/theirs, along with using who, regardless of species. When we don’t know if an animal is a male or female, we should use the gender neutral they/them/theirs.
It may seem like a small thing to do, but it has such a meaningful impact for animals and elevates them from being thought of as objects to living beings who merit consideration and basic rights.
They've been doing this for over a decade, most people here have heard of them. They are akin to peta. Gervais is a well known ARA supporter...
I'm not sure how that particular bit about pronouns is evidence they're "crazy"?
Yeah, the IDA is pretty terrible and quite annoying but nothing about that piece you provided is “crazy”. Animals should be referred to as he/she/etc, and not “it”, they are indeed beings and shouldn’t be treated like objects…
Why would you even go looking around their website in the first place, did you read what @Aardwolf posted above? Don’t give them the attention they clearly don’t deserve.
Seriously. The absolute nerve to place them here for losing the two youngsters to EEHV. They treat it like the zoos DELIBERATELY expose them to the virus and don't work round the clock trying to save the animals.
If I'm not mistaken Phoenix's elephant has a troubled past with other elephants, and trying to integrate her again now would be a whole new lengthy process that would hopefully work.
Too hot eh? Pretty sure South Asia's pretty toasty too.
I forget some of the specifics re Fresno recently bar they phased out Asians and now have Africans. Did they lose an African to EEHV? Also again, zoos don't want them to get the virus for crying out loud.
"Deceptive conservation message", now that's funny. The only deceptive message I see here is yours, IDA. If anyone actually does their research it quickly becomes clear you're lying for around 85-90% of your "research."
But if they were in the wild, EEHV wouldn't happen! Eye roll.
I'm not sure of the details, but I imagine so. Phoenix takes good care of their animals and I don't think they'd do it without cause. Even the most social species have animals that are outliers, just like humans.
Yeah I have no idea why heat is an issue
Yeah, an 11 year old that they didn't know had it, due to a false negative test - Miss Bets at Fresno Chaffee Zoological Gardens in United States - Elephant Encyclopedia and Database
"Deceptive conservation message", now that's funny. The only deceptive message I see here is yours, IDA. If anyone actually does their research it quickly becomes clear you're lying for around 85-90% of your "research."
It was something about Chendra being from the wild so they still support wild captures and not conservation. More BS.
RhinoHippoElephantGiraffe
Well-Known Member
Why is Buttonwood Park Zoo not on this list? They should for sure be #1 on this list. They have a horrible elephant exhibit for 2022 standards.
I am even more shocked that the Topeka Zoo also didn't make it on this list in 2021.
Celebrities supporting animal rights groups is nothing new. Bob Barker was a huge advocate for the relocation of the Toronto elephants and there are a plethora of actors and pop-stars who support PETA and similar organizations. The only thing is 99% of the time these celebrities have no idea what they're talking about and think with their hearts instead of their heads. That, or they just want some good PR. The only time I've seen a celebrity animal rights endorser with actual knowledge of what they were talking about was Steve-O condemning the use of animals in circuses. He has actually worked in the circus for years and has well aware of how they are operated behind the scenes. Then again, having Steve-O as your main spokesmen is hardly the most admirable look for any organization...
I also found it funny how they referred to her as "the lone Borneo elephant at the zoo" as if her being a different subspecies somehow impacts her ability to socialize with the other elephants.
You'll find exhibit quality plays little part in what zoos the IDA chooses to put on this list. Back with the 2016 Swaziland import happened they put Omaha, Dallas, and Sedgwick County in a three-way tie for the number one spot because they were "kidnapping" them from the wild. Not like they were going to be culled otherwise or anything, but I digress...
Buttonwood, being an AZA zoo, should definitely not be #1. Same for Topeka.
I also found it funny how they referred to her as "the lone Borneo elephant at the zoo" as if her being a different subspecies somehow impacts her ability to socialize with the other elephants.
Right? She gets along with them nicely, she's just a little smaller
They also act like she was deliberately captured from the wild for a zoo, when she was a legit rescue animal.