Author: Jessica Gelzer
The Los Angeles City Council decided to continue the building of the new elephant habitat, the Pachyderm forest, in a vote of 11-4 on Jan. 28. The highly contested $42 million project was brought to a halt as a way for Los Angeles to save money in a time of declining tax revenues amidst recession. After months of debate and protest, the project, which already had $12 million invested since the building began in 2006, will continue.
The new elephant habitat, planned for completion in 2010, would be 3.8 acres. A majority of the funds have been voted on by taxpayers as well as from the nonprofit, Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association (GLAZA). Multiple substrates, or underlying layers, will fill the land like mud wallows, grass and swimming pools. This is designed to give the elephants choices. The Los Angeles Zoo keepers, who have been with the elephants for a combined 70 years, support the new habitat. Currently, there is only one elephant at the zoo, Billy, but he would be joined by more females.
Animal rights activists voiced concerns for the well-being of Billy. Protests of the exhibit were adorned with signs that said, “Elephants don’t live in zoos, they die in zoos.” This expressed the uneasiness with the fifteen elephants that have died at the Los Angeles Zoo.
The most recent death was in 2006 – 48-year-old, Gita died of severe foot and joint problems, a common ailment among zoo elephants. According to the opponents, conditions in urban zoos are far from adequate, even with the expansion. Zoos were built before modern care techniques for these animals were developed.
Dr. Elliot M Katz, DVM, of In Defense for Animals, a non-profit organization aimed at ending animal abuse, believes the minimum adequate space for an elephant in a zoo should be 10 acres, far more than the expansion would offer for multiple elephants.
The activists’ main suggestion for Billy is to move him to a sanctuary in Northern California where he would have more space. Many celebrities supported this move including Cher, Lily Tomlin and Bob Barker who pledged $1.5 million for the move.
Activists are also concerned that Billy doesn’t have enough companionship in his current habitat. Zoo keepers have observed Billy bobbing his head, a sign that activists argue is telling that he is becoming neurotic without sufficient companionship. Dr. Katz didn’t think that 2010 was soon enough to socialize Billy in consideration of his recent symptoms.
“As far as the eye can see, anyone who knows anything about elephants [knows that] to keep him in isolation is the height of animal cruelty and abuse” Dr. Katz said.
“It’s good for the public, but not good for the elephant,” Joanne Kang (first-year), a Biology major and aspiring veterinarian, said. Though unsure of her stance on the issue, she said, “If more people come to the zoo it creates volunteers and awareness.”
Education proves to be a big argument to keep elephants at the zoo. “We don’t just show, we teach people about the conflicts [elephants] face in the wild,” Los Angeles Zoo spokesman Jason Jacobs said. Katz disagreed, she said, “Its an attraction, not education.”
In regards to the economy, the exhibit is designed to bring more visitors to the Los Angeles Zoo. Opponents of the expansion speculated that the habitat wouldn’t bring enough new visitors to justify the costs in the current Californian economy.
“People who wouldn’t go to the zoo anyway wouldn’t necessarily come to the zoo just to see this one exhibit” Tammy Goodman (sophomore) said. Goodman visited the zoo multiple times last semester for an acting class.
Though the vote has already been through the city council, there is still tension over the exhibit. “The various possibilities are in the exploratory phase. We just can’t turn our back on Billy,” Katz said.
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