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August 22, 2014 at 11:09 pm #612436
seaopgalParticipantThe Woodland Park Zoo just announced that they euthanized the African elephant, Watoto, today. Apparently, she was unable to move this morning, and her condition did not improve. I am so sad that this elephant lived her entire life – 44 years — in captivity. May she rest in peace.
August 23, 2014 at 3:13 am #812471
kayoParticipantVery sad indeed.
August 23, 2014 at 4:03 am #812472
metrognomeParticipantwhile I understand some of the issues around animals held in captivity, from what I’ve been reading about the massive slaughter of elephants for their ivory, maybe Watoto’s captivity was something of a blessing in disguise.
in any event, I hope she is roaming free now in a safe place.
August 23, 2014 at 1:32 pm #812473
TanDLParticipantThe key word being “roaming” here, for elephants naturally need a lot of room and The Woodland Park Zoo doesn’t provide that room. Keeping elephants in a small confined space while mostly chained is a travesty. The stats in the Times this morning say that wild African elephants can live as long as 70 with a median age of 56. Elephants can live in captivity successfully as long as they have acres to roam and our Zoo here in “progressive” Seattle is frightfully neglectful in providing for this critical need. Send the remaining elephants to a sanctuary where there’s space to roam!
August 23, 2014 at 3:54 pm #812474
ellenaterMemberI agree, TanDL. I am very sad to hear about this. Elephants are so bright and amazing. She deserved better. I have always been uncomfortable at the zoo for this reason. When are we going to learn that animals are not here for our amusement? Pretending that we are keeping the elephants “safe” from poaching by keeping them locked up is not acceptable. So, so sad…
August 23, 2014 at 4:17 pm #812475
JoBParticipant:(
August 23, 2014 at 7:15 pm #812476
seaopgalParticipant“Nonetheless Woodland Park Zoo announced in March a $3 million expansion plan to ADD MORE ELEPHANTS, revamp an aging landlocked exhibit and REACTIVATE A BREEDING PROGRAM” (today’s Seattle Times, emphasis mine).
Unless we stop them, the zoo is determined to continue down its current failed path. There is not enough room in all of Woodland Park — let alone the zoo — to satisfy the elephants’ need to roam. They cannot change the inappropriate climate. No amount of human love or care will substitute for the social relationships elephants have in the wild. And any calves that survive will never be able to be free, but will just be used to perpetuate the zoo population. (Can you say SeaWorld?)
Besides direct action — DON’T GO TO THE ZOO — our best recourse is to convince city leaders (elected and other) to stand up to the zoo administration. No more city money until they close the elephant program and transfer Chai and Bamboo to sanctuary.
August 23, 2014 at 7:31 pm #812477
wakefloodParticipantHumans are a pitiable lot. We can’t seem to really appreciate anything for what it is without possessing it and/or controlling it, or for some, killing it.
Whales, gorillas, tigers, elephants, sharks, etc., etc…the list is as big as it is depressing.
My hope is that continued exposure to the beauty of our world (and the need to preserve it in situ) via media helps offset this behavior. It’s working but not fast enough for many species…
August 24, 2014 at 6:47 pm #812478
HMC RichParticipantHmmm. Is anybody on this blog a zoologist? I have my personal feelings but I do not have actual knowledge of what is best for the earth’s creatures.
I do know that many injured animals without our help would just die in the wild but have been given a second chance by our intervention.
Obviously I would like to lockup any poacher.
Also, I see the mutilation of Sharks as obscene. If you eat Shark Fin Soup you are condoning the killing of these magnificent predators.
August 24, 2014 at 10:40 pm #812479
TanDLParticipantHere’s an article by someone who helped found an elephant sanctuary. I have no problem intervening to help animals that are at risk of being extinct as long as we provide a habitat where they can thrive and flourish, and that shouldn’t be so hard. Just give them some land to roam, other elephants with which to form family units and also provide ways to forage for food, that might seem more natural than throwing food out in a trough twice a day.
By the same token, if we were to intervene to save a young person from an obvious physically abusive home and then lock them up in a small room for the rest of their lives, can we then pat ourselves on the back for being noble rescuers?
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