Philadelphia Zoo Bids Farewell to Elephants
Monday November 6, 2006
The Philidelphia Zoo has announced plans to stop exhibiting elephants. The zoo's elephants will be sent either to the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore or to an elephant sanctuary in central Tennessee where they can be kept in larger enclosures than they have at the Philidelphia Zoo.
Other zoos throughout the country are also discontinuing their elephant exhibits in response to growing concerns that enclosures in many zoos are too small to comfortably house the world's largest land mammals.
What do you think: Should elephants be kept in zoos?
Find out more: After 132 Years, Philadelphia Will Send Off Its Elephants (New York Times)
Photo © Lynn Amaral
Comments
No. Plain and simple. They are highly intelligent and emotionally complex animals that require a great deal of space. Keeping them in zoos, regardless of enclosure size, simply does not provide them with adequate quality of life. They belong in the wild.
Absolutely not. Cruel and inhumane to be kept anywhere but a natural sanctuary like The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee where they can live as God intended - no poachers, no sightseers, no cruelty.
Elephants should be kept out of any zoo that is incapable of providing for its natural needs — including their need for freedom. If the Tennessee sanctuary provides such things, then it seems a better solution than shooting elephants when they rage against their care, lash out because of their years of abuse received, and then get shot - for simply saying in elephant speak — I’ve had enough.
NO THEY SHOULD NEVER BE IN A ZOO A ZOO WILL NEVERY HAVE THE AREA THE NEED ITS JUST HUMANITYS INGNORANCE NO ZOO SHOULD HAVE ELEPHANTS AT THE EVERY LEAST THEY SHOULD ME AT A SANCTUARY!
No! Zoos should be outlawed. How would YOU like to live in a cage and have people pointing and staring at you all day long?
Return them to their natural habitat and leave their habitat alone. Thank you.
yes because if the humans keep killing elephants surely they would be safer (and maybe happier)in the zoo were people look after them
Once upon a time, travel to foreign countries was such a major thing that it lay beyond the capacity of the average person. Zoos were a way of bringing a little wonder from other countries, home. Today, it’s almost cheaper to fly there than visit the nearest city zoo!
These places are extinct and they give young influential minds the strong early impression that capturing and imprisoning animals against their will for our entertainment is acceptable.
Zoos cling on to survival - sadly - whilst trying to ride the wave of “conservation”, which is ironic as they are a firm part of the global demand for the removal of animals from their natural habitats.
I’ve seen children wonder far more at animatronic animals, which amaze and delight whilst installing kids with the ambition of one day being able to see a real one in the wild. Isn’t that great conservation-motivation to instill in a child’s brain! LET’S SLOWLY REPLACE ZOO ANIMALS WITH ANIMATRONIC REPLACEMENTS TO ALLOW THEIR BUSINESSES TO CONTINUE!
I have mixed feelings about zoos. On the one hand I hate that animals are brought up or held in these prisons. I would rather they were left in the wild, but with dwindling habitat how will they survive. If zoos used the sanctuary model perhaps they would be less objectionable.
These wonderful, intelligent creatures deserve better than the small enclosures we give them in zoos. They are in danger in the wild, from people suffering pressures that we are unaccustomed to, but the solution is not to cage the elephants, but to find them sanctuary, either in their home environment or someplace similar. Elephants have great intelligence and demonstrate emotions just like we do. They should be removed from traditional zoos.
I think that elephants should be in zoos so they’ll be safe from disappearing from the world, (I can’t think of the word that I want to say so disappear will have to do). At least in the zoos, it’s almost like being in the wild but they’re being taken care of & fed every day!!!!
NO! I would rather see them in the wild as nature intended but because people are screwing up the world and it’s amazing animals, I think would be much better and happier if they were moved to a sanctuary ~ made especially with them in mind.
Zoos are not evil, and shouldn’t be outlawed, banned or anything else that the prevalent ‘animal rights’ diatribe wants.
Animals in captivity does not equal cruelty or abuse. Folks at the Zoo are professionals and know far more about animals than all PeTA members combined.
However adequate facilites must be provided, so if the Philly Zoo thinks they would be better of in a ‘Sanctuary’ then so be it.
Oh and by the way… humans are not ’screwing up the world’ but that’s for another topic…
Ithink elephants should be kept in captivity to get ready for the wild