Zoo elephants: By penning them up, zoo is acting against nature
A great letter to the editor in the Seattle Times from Katy Flynn of Kent.
Bravo to Judy Nicastro for her brilliant opinion piece advocating sanctuary for the remaining Woodland Park Zoo elephants, Chai and Bamboo [“Political leadership for the elephants,” Opinion, Sept. 4].
To hear the news Watoto had been euthanized was as shocking as it was heartbreaking. Elephants are sentient beings who deserve more space than the Woodland Park Zoo offers.
As Watoto has shown us, keeping huge land mammals in woefully small enclosures is perilous and obviously against their nature. This is done in the interest of those who view elephants as living conservation symbols at best, and as entertainers at worst.
In reporting Watoto’s death, Michael J. Berens pointed out “Watoto had no known medical problems.”
The drumbeat gets ever louder. Are Seattle’s leaders listening?
Katy Flynn, Kent
Subscribe
Nope. They didn’t listen. Ed Murray will never, ever get my vote again.