LAist: City Council to Consider Elephant Sanctuary Today

traci747

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 13:31:53 -0800

I hope the LA Zoo has some plans to socialize this precious animal. It's like solitary confinement! Of course you'd go nuts. It's not fair. They NEED companionship. It's extremely cruel. The new diggs they're building him is great, and I'm sure probably just as good as a sanctuary, but he needs some family for God's sake! If they have no plans to add additional Asian elephants, then they need to do the right thing, and let him go to the sanctuary.

Will Campbell

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 16:12:45 -0800

Rainiak, I remember those elephant rides. Indeed the zoo shut them down (back in the 1980s... maybe the early 1990s) not because of a lawsuit but because it was rightfully decided that exploiting the zoos animals for such purposes went against its mission. And just so you know. Billy is cared for by his keepers until full protected contact. He would be a great choice for zoo patrons to ride if the zoo wanted to get people killed.

rainiak

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 15:19:22 -0800

What happened to the elephant rides at the zoo? That was my most favorite thing as a kid. I am assuming that it was shut down because of a lawsuit or something. Unless it was determined to be bad for the elephants, maybe they should start it again to give Billy something to do all day.

Will Campbell

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 11:29:09 -0800

There is reason why Billy is presently living alone. Even when there were other elephants there he was kept separate from them in part because he is of prime breeding age and the other elephants were African, whereas he is an Asian elephant. The L.A. Zoo's plan is to populate the new habitat with Asian elephants with Billy as the patriarch. The paradox that exists is that should the City Council decide to shut down construction on the exhibit and instead try then to find the large amount of money that would be needed to plan, construct and staff a brand new secure 60-acre facility, Billy will be alone that much longer.

caliking01

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 10:57:03 -0800

AND he's alone?! Just fucking sad. and way fucking wrong.

Emoney

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 10:50:58 -0800

6 acres is not a lot of land at all. When I was looking for a field to rent for a horse I used to own, I was told that I needed about 6 acres per horse.

Will Campbell

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 10:48:20 -0800

I didn't comment but I don't agree that a "preserve" or "sanctuary" or whatever manufactured utopia is going to be the automagical solution to Billy's issues. I'm all for Billy being in the best place to better ensure his health and well-being and I say that place can be the zoo and its new habitat. Anyone who thinks it's a total cure-all to take a pachyderm out of the place he's known for so long and install him on 60-acres is a little too caught up in the idyllic hype. Transitioning Billy between the two places could be problematic and stressful and in the end he may wind up in a small corner of his huge new environment rocking and bobbing and walking in circles.

tp4free

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 10:09:48 -0800

they should really let him go... in Venice