Zoo Professionals and SPCA-LA Team Up to Call for Sending Ruby the Elephant to Sanctuary

Los Angeles—Zoo professionals from around the globe and Southern California’s premier animal welfare organization are urging Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and the L.A. Zoo to immediately relocate Ruby, a 46-year-old African elephant, to the PAWS sanctuary in Northern California. Former L.A. Zoo curator Les Schobert will be joined by SPCA-LA president Madeline Bernstein and In Defense of Animals to present an open letter from zoo professionals, who hail from around the U.S. and as far away as England and Australia, calling for Ruby’s transfer. The group represents many decades of experience working with elephants in a variety of capacities, including zoo director, manager, keeper, curator and veterinarian.

When: Tuesday, February 20th, 9:30a.m. (prior to Zoo Commission meeting)
Where: In front of the main gates at Los Angeles Zoo

“At 46, Ruby is considered, by zoo standards, to be an older elephant. At present, only one African elephant over age 50 exists in a U.S. zoo,” states the letter. “This makes Ruby a prime candidate for relocation to a sanctuary.”

Ruby gained worldwide attention when, in 2003, the L.A. Zoo separated her from Gita, her companion of 16 years, and sent the elephant to a Knoxville, Tenn. zoo. After keeping Ruby alone for more than a year, the zoo was unable to integrate her with its elephants, forcing former L.A. mayor James Hahn to direct the L.A. Zoo to bring the elephant back. L.A. Zoo has held Ruby off public display since her return in 2004.

“Should Ruby be sent to another zoo and integration fails once more,” the letter goes on to say, “she could then be subjected to the stress of again being transferred to yet another zoo or be forced to remain physically separated for the remainder of her life from other elephants. Neither of these options is acceptable.”

Ruby must leave L.A. Zoo because, as an African elephant, she has no place in the Zoo’s planned exhibit for Asian elephants. She has also been held in solitary confinement since the death of Gita in 2006. Elephants are highly social and should never live alone.

At the PAWS sanctuary, Ruby would be able to roam more than 70 acres of natural landscape with other African elephants. The facility would give Ruby more than 500 times the space of her current enclosure. PAWS has received elephants from zoos in Detroit, San Francisco, and Milwaukee.

“Ruby has spent more than 40 years on display before the public, including time in a circus and at various zoos,” the letter concludes. “Relocation to a sanctuary is the most reasonable and humane choice for her.”

A copy of the zoo professionals’ letter is available upon request. For more information see www.helpelephants.com.