Alaska Zoo Elephant Will Go to a Sanctuary!

Animal Advocates Applaud Compassionate Decision to Send Maggie to PAWS

Anchorage, Alaska—In Defense of Animals (IDA) is hailing the decision to transfer Maggie, the 27-year-old African elephant who long has been the center of controversy, to the Performing Animal Welfare Society’s (PAWS)’s elephant sanctuary in Northern California.

“IDA is pleased that Alaska Zoo recognized it is best to send Maggie to PAWS, which, unlike any zoo, can provide the vast space and natural conditions elephants need to thrive,” said IDA president Elliot M. Katz, DVM. “At PAWS, Maggie will have the companionship of other African elephants and a permanent, peaceful home.”

At the sanctuary, Maggie will join four other African elephants on 75 acres of natural habitat in the lush Sierra Foothills. PAWS has offered to pay all expenses for moving Maggie to its facility, and celebrity Bob Barker pledged to fund her lifelong care there. In addition, the sanctuary offered a $100,000 grant to the Alaska Zoo to improve other animal exhibits.

PAWS has been caring for elephants for 23 years and has received elephants from four major zoos in Detroit, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Milwaukee.

Efforts to transfer Maggie from Alaska Zoo intensified last May after she twice was found lying down in her pen and unable to rise without assistance, a life-threatening situation for an elephant. Due to pressure from animal advocates and citizens, including an Anchorage Assembly resolution in support of moving the beleaguered elephant, the Zoo’s board of directors finally relented and voted in June to relocate Maggie.

“The Alaska Zoo has joined the ranks of twelve other progressive U.S. zoos that have put the elephants’ interests first and closed or soon will close their elephant exhibits,” said Katz, noting that an additional three zoos have announced plans to phase out their elephant exhibits. “The Alaska Zoo has done the right thing for Maggie.”

Maggie will be the third elephant to be moved to a sanctuary this year. In May, Ruby was moved from the Los Angeles Zoo to PAWS, and Dulary was moved from the Philadelphia Zoo to The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee.

For more information, please visit www.helpelephantsinzoos.org.