L.A. ZOO CONDEMNED FOR KEEPING ELEPHANT BILLY IN SOLITARY CONFINEMENT

In Defense of Animals to Urge Zoo Commission to Send Billy to a Sanctuary

Los Angeles, Calif.—Following the recent one-year anniversary of Ruby the elephant’s historic transfer from the Los Angeles Zoo to the spacious PAWS sanctuary in Northern California, In Defense of Animals (IDA) will make a special presentation to the L.A. Zoo Commission on Ruby’s success. IDA will also renew its call for sending 23-year-old Billy, the zoo’s only remaining elephant, to the sanctuary.

What: Activists and concerned citizens will address the L.A. Zoo Commission during public comment at the start of the meeting. Images of Ruby at PAWS will be displayed.
When: Tuesday, May 20th, 2008; meeting starts at 10am
Where: L.A. Zoo, Grand Room, 5333 Zoo Drive, Los Angeles

An IDA representative will be available prior to the meeting. Video of Ruby is available.

“Billy needs much more space than the zoo can provide, and the companionship of other elephants,” stated IDA campaign director Catherine Doyle. “Elephants are social animals, and keeping Billy alone is cruel. He should be sent to the PAWS sanctuary, where, like Ruby, he’ll have the space, natural conditions and companionship elephants so desperately need.”

Billy has not seen another elephant since the death of Gita two years ago. (Before her move to PAWS, Ruby was held in another area of the zoo.) According to Doyle, zoos mislead the public by suggesting that male elephants are completely solitary animals. In fact, in the wild they do not live in total isolation.

Held in a tiny, barren pen, Billy incessantly bobs his head up and down, an abnormal behavior caused by stress and boredom. Though the zoo plans to construct a $40 million, taxpayer-funded elephant exhibit, the 3.5-acre space will be subdivided into four smaller yards and still woefully inadequate for elephants.

The natural-habitat PAWS sanctuary offers elephants over 125 acres of rolling Sierra foothills to roam. Elephants in the wild characteristically walk many miles a day, especially the wider ranging males. PAWS currently is constructing a new area especially for its first male elephant, Nicholas.

Ruby is one of three elephants to be transferred last year from a zoo to a sanctuary. Sixteen U.S. zoos have either closed or plan to close their elephant exhibits.

For more information, please visit www.HelpElephants.com.