Alaska Zoo Responsible for Maggie the Elephant’s Endangered Condition, Group Charges

Weekend Fall Is Sign that Elephant Should be Moved ASAP

Anchorage, Alaska—Responding to news that Maggie, the elephant at the Alaska Zoo, laid down over the weekend and could not get back up, international animal protection organization In Defense of Animals (IDA) renewed its call for the elephant’s transfer to a sanctuary as soon as possible. IDA said it holds the zoo responsible for the dangerous situation in which Maggie has been held for years, including 10 years of solitary confinement.

“This perilous event is a sign that Maggie must be relocated without delay,” said IDA president Elliot M. Katz, DVM. “Maggie is a young elephant, and the fact that she went down and could not right herself is extremely troubling.”

“While the Alaska Zoo has selfishly refused to move Maggie, the conditions of her confinement in Alaska have taken their toll,” Katz continued. “It is likely that she will not survive many more winters of confinement indoors, alone, without the ability to exercise, breathe fresh air, or enjoy the company of another elephant.”

Maggie has been alone since the 1997 death of her companion, Annabelle, caused by chronic foot infections. Months spent indoors and sedentary in a tiny stall on concrete floors during the long sub-arctic Alaska winter can spell fatal foot and joint disorders. Winters in Alaska have always taken their toll on Maggie, and recent photos and video taken by visitors to the Alaska Zoo show an elephant in what appears to be poor physical condition.

The world’s leading African elephant experts, along with members of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), a trade association for the zoo industry, have recommended Maggie’s transfer to a more appropriate facility. But instead of moving her, Alaska Zoo built an expensive treadmill on which it hoped Maggie would exercise. More than a year after its installation, the treadmill goes unused.

IDA said that when an elephant lies down or collapses and cannot right herself, the situation is extremely dangerous because the weight of the elephant’s body can stop blood flow to the extremities, impair breathing, and damage internal organs. Last year, Gita an elephant at Los Angeles Zoo died after collapsing and remaining down for over 12 hours. Another elephant, Lucy at Milwaukee Zoo, also collapsed last year and was righted by hoists and a crane. Several months later, however, she collapsed again and was euthanized.

Katz said that Maggie’s young age (27) left him hopeful that it was still not too late to transfer her to a sanctuary. Access to space and varied terrain, he explained, would strengthen Maggie’s muscles, which have atrophied from years of inactivity, and relieve pressure on her joints. Natural substrates also help heal elephants’ feet, which become diseased from standing on hard surfaces like concrete and from prolonged immersion in feces and urine.

“Maggie’s situation is far too dangerous to ignore,” Katz concluded. “If this young elephant dies, the responsibility falls squarely on Alaska Zoo.”

For more information please visit www.helpelephants.com.