FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 12, 2010
Elephant Advocates Applaud Cancellation of Ill-Conceived Breeding of Philly Elephants
Local Residents Renew Call To Rescue Elephants To Sanctuary
Philadelphia, PA -- February 12, 2010 -- As the Pittsburgh and Philadelphia Zoos finally acknowledge what elephant advocates have stated for the past four years, today it was announced the two Philadelphia elephants living at a breeding center in Somerset County will not be subjected to forcible breeding. While local advocates appreciate the Zoos' final acknowledgment that breeding would jeopardize the well being of these two elephants, calls are renewed for transferring the two female African elephants to either the California PAWS Sanctuary or Tennessee Elephant Sanctuary.
The Pittsburgh Zoo is notorious for its use of a weapon used to control elephants - often referred to as a bullhook or ankus. In 2002, the Pittsburgh Zoo's elephant keeper for more than six years, Mike Gatti, was pinned to the ground and crushed to death by an elephant named Moja. It is well known that elephants have a propensity to attack the specific people who dominate them through the fear-and-violence based technique used by the Pittsburgh Zoo.
Local governments are looking at banning the usage of the bullhook - which the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) notes is a "negative stimuli." Just last month, county commissioners in St. Lucie County in Florida passed a regulation banning bullhooks as a condition to build an elephant breeding and holding facility much like the one operated by the Pittsburgh Zoo in Somerset County, PA.
"This is good news for Bette and Kallie, however by continuing to live at the Pittsburgh breeding facility, their future is uncertain and the use of the bullhook is a real threat," said Marianne Bessey, founder of Friends of Philly Zoo Elephants, the grassroots organization which has campaigned for the well being and transfer to sanctuary for all the Philly elephants. "These two elephants were taken from the wild in Africa as little babies for the U.S. display industry, it's time to do what's best for them ... get them to the sanctuary where they will have a forever home, with free access to tens of acres of natural lands and be safe from the violence and intimidation of bullhook yielding zoo keepers."
When in 2007, the Zoos confirmed plans to send the elephants to the Pittsburgh facility to breed them; advocates expressed concern due to ample zoo industry data showing that the breeding plans would be life-threatening to the elephants. Over seventy (70) percent of elephants who are 24 years or older at their first pregnancy or birth either die or face life-threatening situations such as a calf stuck in utero requiring surgical removal. In European zoos, female elephants who haven't given birth by the age of 24 are considered post-reproductive. Kallie and Bette were both born in 1982 and will turn 28 years old this year.
On average, elephants in zoos die at roughly half their natural average lifespan of 60-70 years. The leading cause of death for elephants in zoos is foot- and joint-related problems created by the lack of space in zoos.
Friends of Philly Zoo Elephants is a group of local advocates who are concerned about the elephants at the Philadelphia Zoo. For more information, please visit www.helpphillyzooelephants.com or call 610-733-1248.
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