Date
June 27th, 2005

Contact
 Catherine Doyle (310)903-9293

In Defense of Animals
131 Camino Alto
Mill Valley
CA 94941

IDA is an international, California-based animal advocacy organization dedicated to ending the abuse and exploitation of animals by defending their rights, welfare and habitats.

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IDA to Reveal Elephant's Death Report
Never Before Seen Necropsy Details Mona's Excruciating End

El Paso — As the city council prepares for a July 7 vote on a proposal to send Savannah and Juno, the two elephants at El Paso Zoo, to a sanctuary, In Defense of Animals (IDA) will expose previously unseen details of the 2001 death of Mona the elephant, showing for the first time how the much beloved elephant suffered from extremely painful, captivity-induced arthritis prior to her untimely end.

Advocates and former zoo professionals will be available to discuss the importance of the report and speak about the current situation at El Paso Zoo and why Juno and Savannah must be moved to The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee. These experts include:

Les Schobert, a former curator of animals at North Carolina Zoo and Los Angeles Zoo, with over 30 years experience with elephants.

  • Gretchen Kneeter, a retired 17-year zoo professional who worked with a variety of animals including elephants at Los Angeles Zoo.
  • Catherine Doyle, a spokesperson for IDA, student of animal behavior, and teacher of humane education.
  • Jane Poss, co-founder of El Paso-based Concerned Citizens for Savannah and Juno.

When: Tuesday, June 28, 11:00 a.m.
Where: El Paso Zoo's Main Entrance

"Records show Mona suffered arthritis in both hip joints and it is my opinion that Mona was in chronic and acute pain, likely for years, prior to her death," says retired zoo veterinarian Gary Kuehn. "Various lesions on her joints including bone on bone contact would have caused excruciating pain. It is my impression that arthritis was responsible for Mona's demise, even though this was not the immediate cause of death."

Juno's records indicate she has suffered from digestive disorders, foot problems, and obesity which increases stress on her joints and feet and can lead to arthritis and exacerbate potentially lethal foot ailments. Savannah suffers from arthritis and captivity-induced foot problems. Both elephants show extreme repetitive behaviors such as rocking and swaying, an indication of stress and boredom.

Elephant foot expert Michael Schmidt, a former zoo veterinarian who specialized in the care of elephants for over 25 years, states in his book Jumbo Ghosts, "Zoo-genic foot disease remains the number one source of pain, suffering and premature death for zoo elephants."

Elephants, the world's largest land mammals, travel up to 50 miles a day in the wild to maintain proper foot, joint and digestive health. Elephants in zoos spend much of their time on concrete or hard compacted dirt, leading to recurrent foot infections and arthritis. Please visit SaveZooElephants.com for more information.