This is an interesting article that has as its highlight a map (that can be enlarged) that showcases the situation of elephants in American zoos. Almost 20 zoos have phased out elephants since 1991, with 4 more zoos due to also phase out elephants. It would be interesting to see a list of zoos that have added elephants since 1991. In U.S. Zoos, Elephants Get Harder to Find - WSJ
What zoos have added elephants since 1991? Lowry Park in Tampa, the zoo in Waco, Texas, and anyplace else?
Elephants are a complex issue in zoos. They do serve a valuable role as ambassadors for their species in the wild but there are many zoos that have subpar exhibits. I would hate to see elephants phased out of zoos completely but zoos really need to do make sure they invest the time and money into good environments for their elephants.
Omaha Zoo I wonder where the Omaha Zoo will get their planned breeding herd for their new exhibit to open summer of 2016. Maybe follow SD and Tampa and rescue a heard to be culled?
Many zoos have opened vastly improved or brand-new elephant habitats since 1991 (National Zoo, Disney's Animal Kingdom, Lowry Park, Reid Park, North Carolina, Nashville, Oklahoma City, Los Angeles, San Diego Zoo, San Diego Zoo Safari Park, Dallas, Houston, Indianapolis, Cleveland, Cheyenne Mountain, Denver, Rio Grande, Hogle, Rosamond Gifford, Birmingham, Oakland, Oregon in 2015, etc) and it seems as if it is a 50-50 split between new exhibits and the complete phasing out of elephants from zoos. There are still a large number of zoos with only a couple of elephants and with just over two years until the September 2016 deadline it will be very interesting to see what occurs. Major zoos like Omaha or Sedgwick County should have plans in place for vast new exhibits, while other facilities like San Antonio and Buffalo have a huge decision to make.
Just in case there are any newbies or non-zoo geeks reading this thread, perhaps we should elaborate. (Zoo fanatics know this already). This change in elephant exhibitry is not a coincidence. Around a decade ago (was it longer?) there was a major meeting of AZA affiliated zoos that held elephants. It was stated that the elephant program was unsustainable (an aging national herd with little breeding) and that strong measures would need to be taken to keep elephants in North America. AZA zoos that had elephants needed to commit to building larger facilities to accommodate herds, preferably with a breeding bull, or agree to give up their elephants to other zoos that could commit.
I am very curious what the Buffalo Zoo will decide in almost a year's time. They have two females who are mostly not exhibited together because they don't get along. It will be a shame that during their next inspection they will pass for polar bears, but will probably be noted or fail for the elephant exhibit.
Buffalo seems like a pretty cold place to have elephants. From what I have seen on San Antonio, it looks like they should get out of the elephant business altogether.
They didn't I meant on the map. Niabi (like Montgomery) is former AZA, granted Niabi is suspended while Montgomery left the AZA on its own I guess.
They are allowed access to outside if it isn't too slippery. But yes, they spend most of their winter in the small barn. And when they are separated for the rest of the year, one is outside while the other is stuck inside (but perhaps they rotate throughout the day).
Here is a new article on the elephant situation in San Antonio. San Antonio Zoo's only elephant will remain, despite relocation rule - San Antonio Express-News
It sucks that she can't be moved, it's rather sad to see a social creature live out it's last days without the company of other elephants. But I do understand that it's a tricky situation. What caught my attention in this article, though, is that they're getting African elephants after Lucky goes. That's some new information. As long as the exhibit is improved, I guess I won't complain much. I hope they don't try to cut too many corners, though. A new, quality elephant exhibit isn't cheap. I'm not a fan of elephants in captivity at all, though I'm less inclined to complain when it comes to some of the nicer exhibits. (plus, with poaching being the big problem that it is, I'm not opposed to trying to maintain a backup population) If the new exhibit is nice, I'll definitely be looking forward to it.
Its cool that San Antonio Zoo is improving their exhibit after lucky dies, but its kind of unfortunate that they are switching from asian to african elephants. So many zoos have african elephants already, and asian elephants are a minority so I think it is important to have more asian elephant exhibits right now.
Indeed. That is a good observation that many aren't considering. If it wasn't for Ringling's elephants, I wouldn't have much hope for a proper captive program for Asians in North America.
There is also hope for asian elephants since when europe (which is primarily asian elephants) gets extras they will ship some over, because the breeding program is self sustainable there.
I think zoos which have elephants at all need to have the room and to have the facilities. I thought years ago that Portland had a decent exhibit. I used to take the kids and we'd observe them. I did not know about what was going on with their breeding program. Same goes for Seattle. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo appears to have a really great elephant facility. I wish that their facility was the minimum standard.
