Date
September 19, 2005

Contact
Catherine Doyle
(310) 903-9293

Les Schobert
(760) 217-8552


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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Experts to Zoo Commission: Scrap Plans for Deficient Elephant Enclosure

Veterinarian and Former Zoo Caretakers Weigh in on Fate of Elephants at L.A. Zoo

Los Angeles — A group of experts, with over 140 years combined, hands-on experience with elephants, will join concerned citizens and IDA at tomorrow's specially convened Board of Zoo Commissioners meeting to highlight the inadequacy of L.A. Zoo's planned two-acre elephant exhibit renovation. The Board, an advisory group responsible for overseeing the publicly-owned zoo on behalf of the city of L.A., will hear concerns about the hotly debated $16 million taxpayer-funded exhibit that will not meet even the most basic physical, social or psychological needs of the elephants. Even Mayor Villaraigosa has jumped into the fray, temporarily halting the exhibit¹s funding, pending the outcome of a formal study.

Advocates and former zoo professionals will be available to discuss their reasons for advising against the proposed expansion prior to the meeting.

When: Tuesday, September 20th
Experts available starting at 5:30 p.m.
Meeting begins at 6:30pm.
Where: Los Angeles Zoo, 5333 Zoo Drive (In Griffith Park), at main entrance


Experts include:

  • Dr. Mel Richardson, a former veterinarian at San Antonio, Woodland Park, and Dallas zoos with over twenty-five years' experience
  • John Freeze, former elephant program supervisor at the North Carolina Zoo with over thirty years' experience
  • Les Schobert, a former general curator at major U.S. zoos, including Los Angeles Zoo, with over thirty years experience with elephants and elephant exhibit design
  • Pat Derby and Ed Stewart, founders and directors of the Performing Animal Welfare Society Ark 2000 Sanctuary

Why are experts opposed to keeping elephants Billy, Gita, and Ruby at L.A. Zoo?

As the world's largest land mammal, elephants are designed for almost constant movement, and wild elephant herds easily travel tens of miles a day on soft soil and varied terrains. Yet L.A. Zoo is planning to build a two-acre exhibit that will be split into at least three yards and hold as many as five elephants. Elephants in zoos spend their time inactive in tiny enclosures, standing on concrete or hard compacted dirt which leads to extremely painful degenerative joint disorders and recurrent foot infections, as well as digestive and reproductive problems – all of these conditions are currently seen at L.A. Zoo.

"Over the last thirty years, the zoo world has learned much about the physical, psychological and social needs of elephants," said Les Schobert, former curator at L.A. Zoo. "Yet, despite all that we know about the spatial needs of elephants, L.A. Zoo is planning to condemn elephants to yet another tiny space that won't even begin to meet their needs."

Please visit HelpElephants.com for more information.