I can see why northern zoos have done away with elephant exhibits considering they are inside so much. It seems like zoos in warmer places could be suitable though? Is it due to a lack of space? Cost? Controversy? What are the reasons warm weather zoos are doing this?
Three Australasian zoos have stated their intention to phase out elephants with the next three years (Auckland, Perth and Melbourne). All three have cited space reasons and their belief that open range zoos, which allow them to live in large multigenerational herds, are better for their welfare. The climate of those zoos remains suitable and has played no part in the decision making. In additional to reasons around their social wellbeing, other reasons cited included reproductive opportunities and cost. These phase outs will reduce the Australasian region to five holders - two open range zoos and three city or regional zoos (one of which is predicted to phase out in the next decade).
A good case in point would be London zoo, while elephants have been there for many many years in the end the best possible option was to move them out to Whipsnade where they have much more space, modern housing and accommodation to house a bull to form a breeding situation. London like a lot of early city zoos lacks real space for keeping very large animal species. I also would like to see the Giraffes moved out as well, with the Okapi holdings becoming larger using this space for expanding on a larger breeding situation.
I think an interesting case regarding temperature is Phoenix. Once their last Asian Elephant passes away, they won’t be acquiring any more elephants (I’m pretty sure). I think this is because Phoenix is too hot for Asian Elephants. African Elephants would be better off, but the elephant exhibit is in the tropics trail so they wouldn’t fit.
Phoenix is incredibly hot (reaching 40 in the summer, but dipping to about 20 in winters); so i'd imagine temperature played a huge part in their phase out.
The Tropics Trail is vague *enough* to accomodate for South American, Asian, African and Madagascan wildlife. That said, an elephant exhibit that is based on the Namib would be a more fitting and unique concept for Phoenix.
I don’t think there’s a single African animal on the Tropics Trail (aside from the lemurs and Pelicans, who are more on the “Africa” side of the lake). Plus, we have Chutti, so I think Indian Rhinos are the way of Phoenix’s future. Anyways, I don’t expect Elephants to return to Phoenix unless the Bachelor plan somehow comes back from the dead. As much as I want a Namib elephant exhibit, it’s probably never gonna happen.
Still, less space, more available animals, and the IDA doesn’t have a yearly “Worst Zoos for Rhinos” list (yet).
A lot of the last decade’s losses have been due to tightening AZA rules. I know Greenville in SC lost theirs that way. Only a few phase outs have explicitly been on ethical grounds (Toronto, Detroit). Most of those were up north. The rest vary. A few zoos are building much larger exhibits for their elephants to meet current visitor expectations and industry standards. Due to a shortage of breeding animals they’ll be the ones to end up with reproduction. Other zoos just can’t afford the money or space for these expansions. They’re limited to either hosting bachelor troops or eventually losing their elephants. I’m pretty sure Riverbanks phased their program out rather than going through the effort of investing tons of money / space in expanding their exhibit, knowing they’d probably still only get a bachelor herd at best. Knoxville is in a similar place where I don’t think they could find the space to expand to meet modern standards. At some point it’s just easier to cut your losses, exhibit rhinos, and gamble it won’t tank your bottom line. So far the gamble seems to be working for most zoos. Also Asian elephants dying of illness has led to a decline in total available elephants that only Africans can really fill in the long term. That was always going to cut into the total number of zoos that could hold them.
Too hot isn't really a concern. Too dry may be, though I don't know the details of Phoenix's elephant phase out.
Phoenix is an interesting similarities to ZooTampa/Lowry Park Zoo. We had Asian elephants in the Asian Domain/Gardens and then phased them out quickly after a keeper fatality. At that point they moved the Indian rhino into the habitat and were elephant-less until the African elephants came quite some time later.
Summers in Phoenix are now 115F for days on end with little cooling at night.Low humidity. And building shade even with misters will not help enough.
And while I don’t think it’s the reason, I suspect Phoenix is trying to get the IDA off their tail as to not be a repeat offender on their yearly list.
