In this Editorial, The Seattle Times again shows that it has been a friend to the elephants; making sure their plight was heard. Sadly, Woodland Park Zoo, under Deborah Jensen, acted selfishly to keep Bamboo and Chai in the clutches of the zoo industry. Seattle Councilmember Kshama Sawant got an ordinance written that would have directed Woodland Park Zoo to send Bamboo and Chai to sanctuary. Unfortunately Councilmembers Sally Bagshaw and Bruce Harrell voted to stop it. Elephants are highly intelligent, far-ranging animals who suffer and die young in zoos. They succumb physically and psychologically to the lack of exercise confined in tiny spaces, crushing boredom, lack of social interaction and captivity related diseases. At Oklahoma City Zoo the care was apparently substandard and Friends will be taking action.

http://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/editorials/zoo-community-refuses-to-learn-from-elephant-chais-death/

Trackback URI | Comments RSS

Leave a Reply