It’s vanity to think that this issue is about Stuart Strahl or getting him to “roll over,” when it’s really about doing what’s best for Christy and the many other elephants who may be crammed into far too little space at Brookfield Zoo. Not to mention their confinement indoors in even smaller areas during the long winter months.

The world’s leading elephant authorities and field scientists agree that elephants don’t belong in urban zoos, because of the terrible physical and psychological toll it takes on these animals. The latest science shows that elephants are dying prematurely in zoos (the zoo industry’s attempt to refute that science was soundly rejected by the prestigious journal Science and refused publication), despite modern veterinary care and controlled diets.

Facts are facts. If you truly love elephants, you don’t want to keep them in urban zoos.

Brookfield Zoo is the epitome of high standards in animal care. It truly is a LIVING CLASSROOM affording inner city Chicago children a chance to see animals that they might never see in their lifetime. Not for entertainment, or pure enjoyment. Sure that is a product of discovering an animal as majestic and wondrous as an elephant. But a chance to CONNECT. Once a child connects on an emotional level with an animal and with wildlife, the foundation has been laid to create a conservation leader. Cheers to Brookfield Zoo!

The elephant program at Brookfield Zoo is of the highest caliber. The zoo has the BEST interest of the animals in mind at all times. The have staff nutritionists, veterinarians, keepers and even behavioral enrichment staff to mentally stimulate these wonderful creatures. FEW humans can boast of receiving this same care. True the animals are from Africa and they often roamed great distances in search of food and a mate. However, poachers and frequent political unrest make this life unrealistic today. Christy is a well cared for ambassador who has taught me and my family the intricate life of pachyderms. By seeing the elephants at the zoo and learning that BZ has helped in conserving them in the wild for years and then gone so far as teaching ME how to help is truly life changing. So those who want to ‘get elephant out of zoos’ may find their cause extinct in a few years as no one will know nor care of the elephants plight in the wild as they have never had the pleasure of encountering these gentle giants. Please ‘In Defense of Animals’ don’t take a well adjusted, well cared for animal and return her to her ‘native habitat’ of Tennessee (as you have planned). Don’t claim to care for her and move her to a place without a on-site veterinarian and probably no on-site nutritionist. True, her area may be bigger but her life will by no means be better without TOTAL care of this creature-mentally and physically. I am sure thinking of the ‘BIG’ picture of Christy’s care would authentically show you have HER in mind and not just publicity.

Although these animal extremists have good intentions, they are poorly misguided. These so called “leading elephant authorities” are animal extremists sympathizers who say that elephants live until their around 70 yrs old. Name one of these scientists who actually did a study and followed an elephant around for 60-80 yrs…Exactly. What they do is look at the animal and “estimate” their age. Similar to how a vet would estimate the age of a stray dog or cat. Read the studies done by unbiased scientists…

Now these sanctuaries are indeed much larger. But the animals suffer even more there due to the lack of quality veterinary care and over all experience period. Animals left to die for well over a weeks period of time in these places is NOT quality care. This is physical and emotional abuse at these places. That just dosen’t happen at zoos.

Cheers to Brookfield Zoo for doing the right thing. I’d take the side of conservationists saving animals over animal extremists who believe your a slave driver for owning your own dog or cat….

Facts are indeed facts. Brookfield Zoo is a wonderful habitat for animals such as Christy, our african elephant, because we provide sophisticated medical care that they would certainley not be able to recieve in the middle of Africa. Christy was not born or raised there, she was stuck in someone’s garage until the zoo rescued her. Sending her back to Africa would be very dangerous for her.

Brookfield Zoo prides itself on having many animals that they rescued and nursed back to health. A good percentage of the animals in the Swamp were injured in the wild and are now well cared for by the zoo’s keepers. We’ve expanded Christy’s yard and are working to make it even better!

Affie did not die of some zoo contracted disease. The current necropsy shows that her death was related to heart failure.

Brookfield Zoo does not support the capture and beating of animals, we are trying to forge strong bonds between man and nature while keeping rare and endangered species alive. Brookfield Zoo is involved in the species survival program, which is a cooperatively managed breeding program between zoos and conservation parks designed to ensure the long term survival of rare and endangered species! We’re proud to have one of the most successful black rhino breeding programs in the world! Brookfield Zoo is not trying to harm animals and exhibit them purely for the amusement of sadistic humans! We are trying to protect our animal bretheren and ensure that they will be with us for a long time.

Dr. Strahl will be giving speeches today. If you’d like to stop by and hear him speak, I highly recommend it. He’s a good man and Brookfield Zoo is a good place for Christy the Elephant.

I also think Brookfield Zoo is doing the right thing here. The idea of animals suffering in zoos is a great attention-getter, but it’s obvious to anyone who visits Brookfield Zoo that the animals are loved and well-cared for.

I love elephants, and want my kids to love elephants, which is why I support Brookfield Zoo.

It is sad that IDA does not consider the alternatives. True, the zoo may not be 100% perfect, but removing an animal from the only home she has known and taking to an unregulated sanctuary with out proper veterinary and nutritional care is far worse.

Elephants enchant and engage people. Those calling for an end to elephants in zoos and those who provide care to elephants in zoos are passionate about them and care for them deeply.
Elephant care is not perfect in zoos, circuses or sanctuaries. As with all human endeavors, mistakes are made. Especially in the increasingly distant past some elephants received less than adequate care in some zoo and circus situations. Most worthy endeavors have dedicated practicioners continually struggling to learn, improve and make a difference. Over the years, veterinarians, nutritionists and elephant managers and handlers have strived to improve the lives of the elephants in their care. They have shown tremendous progress and will continue to do so. In addition zoos do a tremendous job of creating awareness of elephants and conservation needs, and of fostering caring attitudes and conservation action.
Working to protect wild places and wildlife is an ever increasing need. Work to improve elephant care in zoos and circuses is ongoing and will provide for continual learning and improvement.
I believe those who protest the keeping of elephants in zoos and circuses are: -passionate, -well intended, -critiquing work they don’t fully understand, -more focused on the worst of the past rather than the needs and possibilities of the present and future, - recommending possibillities for elephants which would llimit our understanding, appreciation and caring for them, - are suggesting possibiliites which would not address the needs of the future for elephants or people.

True elephant and wildlife lovers wish to see these animals in the wild. We know that zoos are not their natural homes. We know that sanctuaries are not their natural homes, either. But, given the situation, Christy and other elephants are more than well cared for at Brookfield Zoo and other AZA accredited zoo. Not only do they live a pampered life, they are important ambassadors to the human populations. These animals that are available for public interaction are doing more than just entertaining. They are inspiring the present and future of conservation to become a part of the battle to save wildlife and wildlife habitats.

Just watch your shy, quiet child become animated and verbose in the presence of a majestic wild animal like Christy and try to count the questions that he or she asks.

Talk to an employee or volunteer at any zoo organization or any animal advocate and see how many of them had their first experience with wildlife at a zoo.

These are the people holding zoos up to the high standards of care.

And these are the people working hardest to give future wild animals a natural home in which to return.

The thing is, sending Christy to an elephant sanctuary isn’t the best solution. Just having more space doesn’t mean she’ll have better care, and she is well-loved here in a way she wouldn’t be at a sanctuary–doesn’t that count for anything? Perhaps a zoo isn’t a perfect place for an elephant–but the world isn’t a perfect place for an elephant, the way it is now. I stand by zoos because they’ve consistently and successfully led conservation efforts to save species, and I can’t name a species that an “activist” group has saved. Though I can name some misguided campaigns that make them look somewhat ridiculous–like PETA’s response to President Obama’s fly swatting, to name one example.

Ultimately we’re all on the same side here. We all want what’s best for the animals in general, and Christy more specifically. And I say bravo to Stuart Strahl and Brookfield Zoo for risking public ire and taking a strong stand on this issue, and doing so in the name of Christy’s present and future welfare.

A big THANK YOU goes out from all of us at Brookfield Zoo to the 650+ children, parents and family members who got up early to join our Zoo staff and volunteers in our “Rally for Elephants - Elephant Appreciation Day” event here today! In addition to supporting your Zoo and Christy Elephant, you all learned the amount of effort it takes to care for elephants in zoos and in the wild, as well as what Brookfield Zoo and you can do for elephant conservation. It is up to us all to ensure that these majestic animals will be in our world’s future! You also helped celebrate the expansion of our elephant yard and heard about our plans to build a much larger elephant facility at the Zoo, all while Christy splashed in her mud wallow and ate the browse you brought her. Shortly we hope to celebrate the day when we welcome a companion elephant for Christy to enjoy in addition to her many keepers and other friends here at Brookfield Zoo, to whom she is very attached.

It’s sad that the zoo is resorting to such measures to try to paint a rosy picture of its animal welfare. Just because an animal gets food, water and vet care does NOT mean their needs are met. Elephants in particular have very specific needs for socialization, space to move, and varied browse. There is simply no way a small urban zoo can come close to meeting these needs, no matter how many times the zoo claims they provide the elephants are “well-cared for.”

In addition - I’d like to see ONE - just ONE “peer-reviewed journal” article that shows that seeing an elephant (or any animal) in captivity will inspire an individual to take action to help their wild counterparts. The only study I’ve ever seen is a Harris poll where people claim that seeing elephants make them care about them. We all know how much zoos like to embellish and exaggerate, but what I don’t get is why reporters and so-called journalists always let them get away with it….?

what do you mean ‘varied browse’ RowanM? Did you know that brookield zoo has an extensive browse program with a large indoor and outdoor facility to grow various plants for the animals throughout the year. Elephants at Brookfield get more browse variety just as they would in the wild. Do your research. As far as socialization goes, they already said she’s getting a companion soon….Would you feel better if she were still living in that guys garage where she was before brookfield rescued her????

Jon - I mean the varied browse that the elephants can choose in their native habitats in Asia and Africa, and to a lesser extent at the sanctuaries where they can browse for hours on hundreds of different kinds of grasses, plants, and trees. Unless the elephants at the Brookfield Zoo are allowed to browse at will in the “large indoor and outdoor facility to grow various plants” that you reference, it’s not the same. And I doubt that it is the huge variety that you seem to suggest it is. The entire Brookfield Zoo is just 216 acres (compare that to the 2000 plus acres at the two sanctuaries) housing over 450 difference species of animals and you see the challenge.

I’d like to make RowanM and others aware of Brookfield Zoo’s commitment to “measurable outcomes”. In fact, the Chicago Zoological Society at Brookfield Zoo pioneered the field of Conservation Psychology, which studies how to move people from saying they care about conservation to actually taking action. To this end, they have developed tiered education programming and regularly conduct focus groups to measure the impact of interpretive signage, zoo chats, and other ways a guest is engaged. Thus the determination is made of the most effective methods of moving people to conservation action by the increasing number of guests stating that they are doing so. The CZS is equally committed to “measurable outcomes” in determining the well-being of their animals, and is one of an extremely small number of institutions with a department of behavioral endocrinology. Animal behavior is also monitored and quantified using a software program called etho-trak, also pioneered at CZS. This is science, not embellishment. The Chicago Zoological Society at Brookfield Zoo is extremely dedicated to the science of animal welfare and respected world-wide for their efforts, as evidenced by the attendance of people from all over the globe at last year’s symposium held at Brookfield Zoo to launch their Center for the Science of Animal Care and Well-Being. All this information is available in publication, so RowanM, pease do YOUR research.

Every animal at Brookfield Zoo receives the very highest level of care.
No, they do not live the “free” life that they do in the wild, however, they do not have to suffer the hardships that such a life knows. On the telvision we are shown a pictoresque scene of wild animals living in harmony and peace…this is not the reality.
I am sure that Christy is most content (especially with her new, enlarged lot with the mud wallow, etc) with her life at Brookfield where she received much appreciated attention and an excellent diet and expert health care.
And at the zoo she is an ambassador for all elephants. People come to visit her and fall in love with this majestic animal and in doing so they become conservationists and will be proactive in helping to prevent elephant poaching, and work to preserve elephant habitat.
Most of our population willl never see a
live elephant if not at a zoo. And it is seeing elephants up close as one does at Brookfield that people will continue to fall in love with them and become ambassadors for their future.
Do not be misled by others. Christy is well cared for at Brookfield. Moving her would be a cruel act for she is where she knows and is comfortable.
Instead support Brookfield in its efforts to
acquire additional elphants.

Yesterday’s rally was a true confirmation of just how many people support Brookfield’s steadfast decision to continue their work in Elephant education conservation and care! I was honored to be able to participate in this important event, and marveled at the faces in the crowd who smiled and cheered as we listened to Dr. Strahl and other speakers. Keep up the good work, Brookfield, and I intend to stand by you as your efforts continue to grow!

Brookfield Zoo should take the high road here and admit that elephants do not have a good, or even mediocre, quality of life in a zoo. Imagine living your entire life in solitary confinement behind bars with no social interaction and very little time outdoors. Sounds like a prison, doesn’t it? That is the life elephants in zoos are forced to live. Now, add to that picture health problems because of not being able to move around sufficiently and not having natural earth to stand on all day, every day, and it becomes a life you wouldn’t wish on your worst enemy, let alone an animal you purport to care about.

Brookfield Zoo does support conservation in the wild and that is where it should focus its elephant conservation work. For those who think that a sanctuary is not a good home for elephants because of the lack of an on-site veterinarian should remember that veterinarians can be called in when needed as with their companion animals at home. Sanctuaries provide the two things that elephants need most—a social network (a family) and a lot of natural space in which to roam. Elephants, by Brookfield Zoo’s own admission, live an average of 33 years in captivity; however they neglect to mention that 33 years is half of their life expectancy in the wild. With proper protection and education, elephants are surviving and even thriving in certain parts of Africa, there is simply no excuse to jail them and make them suffer here in America. Today’s television shows on elephants are excellent and watching their stories up close and personal is a much better way to “connect” to elephants than to watch them from 20 feet away as they slowly die an unhappy and unhealthy death in an urban zoo.

I, too, am a supporter of animal rights and donate to many such organizations, but in this case, I believe IDA is choosing the wrong target to make the case for elephants’ well-being. With the poaching problem growing in the areas of elephants’ native habitat, I believe the living conditions for elephants at Brookfield Zoo are not worse than the outlook for an elephant living in the wild. I support efforts to make sure that any captive elephants have roaming space; I believe Brookfield Zoo provides a suitable space and, at the same time, contributes to elephant conservation at a time when life in the wild is extremely hazardous.

Sylvia Stewart
Former Head Elephant Keeper San Francisco

Elephants
Mae, Penny, Tinkerbelle, Taji and I their house keeper stood against the AZA SSP , for the AZA ordered the chaining, taking away night water, beatings, electric prod torture, the removal of bedding in order to make the elephants “compliant for artifical insemination machines” You see India stopped the importing of baby elephants. As the AZA Empire Building continued to grow these past 30 years So did the putting into place ticket enterance fees and the rising ticket price which encouraged families to join the zoo societies. this has enablled the AZA to have direct control and contact with you….”Big Brother” AZA has your address and phone number. All of you speak the AZA Marketing Message very well…put a star by your name.
Now the challange! Explain to yourself or ask Dr. Strahl to explain the structure and the inner workings of an elephant’s sensorium feet. Answer how and why did Tinerbelle”s feet turn to root and fall off? Be reminded that she was thirty year under theAZA SSP Elephant Management Program.”

Shirl - Stuart Strahl remains oddly silent on this simple question, so perhaps you can answer it:
’d like to see ONE - just ONE “peer-reviewed journal” article that shows that seeing an elephant (or any animal) in captivity will inspire an individual to take action to help their wild counterparts.

All the disgruntled ex zoo employees and animal rights people claim that the zoo is anthropocentric. That is false. The zoo species survival plan is absolutely biocentric. The fact that it’s open to the public is to disseminate animal survival issues, not torture animals for profit. Brookfield Zoo is a living museum. Their function is to provide education. Education is not forcing your opinions down someone’s throat. Education comes from participation. Exposing yourself to diferent ways of living, diverse cultures, and being part of shared experiences. Nature learns through trial and error, and so do we as humans. That is why knowledge is passed down. Zoos continue to evolve. To not even try, is to close your mind up completely and give up. How can you ever learn when you’ve shut your mind down completely to anything that you might find upseting? Don’t take the opportunity to learn away from future generations. If you think going to the zoo means walking from one cage to another, then you have missed the entire zoo experience. There are now multi media displays, keeper talks, role playing, classes, local events to help the community, concerts, horticulture, tours, nature hikes… the only limit is your own lack of involvement. I hope the activists can see that their inappropriate fanatical agenda, is only serving to boost the support the Brookfield Zoo. The zoo is an excellent resource, and I am grateful that I have been able to be a member of such a wonderful institution.

Chances are few people are going to read a 3-4 paragraph posting. Small digestable FACTS at a time. Elephants, like most all living creatures are inherently lazy. Elephants like Christy, especially in modern day Africa, travel long distances every day because of fragmented habitat that may make a long walk necessary to get from one food source to another or from food to water or sleeping sites. Because of poachers and predators these long walks are dangerous and the elephants know it and show fear in crossing between the forest fragments - but they have to to survive. Bottom line, elephants are not walking long distances in the wild because they WANT to but because they NEED to. Are there any statistics on how much the elephants travel per day in a sanctuary? I bet they find a comfortable favorite spot and just stand there all day because they have no reason not to. The Brookfield Zoo elephants are in a stimulating habitat with wonderful caring attendants and this only promises to get better with new construction. Space is not a primary issue so stop trying to make it one.
Kudos to Brookfield Zoo for their elephant program and plans to expand it.

Brookfield Zoo is an outstanding conservation institution. They have had and elephant program for 75 years, and are committed to keeping elephants at the zoo. They have my full support. Brookfield Zoo is an accredited zoo. Do you really think that they would have received that honor if they were mistreating their animals? I am becoming frustrated with a pattern I have seen developing since the death of Affie, Christy’s buddy. Some animals rights advocates are using the sad death to promote their anti-zoo agenda. I do not think that is right. I do respect that people care about animal well-being. I am glad that so many people feel passionate about treating animals with kindness and respect. The negative comments I have read here are of an emotional nature, not sceintifically or fact-baised. It is very important not to be anthropomorphic about Christy. She was rescued when she was 2 1/2 years old from being kept in a garage in the western suburbs. That was about 27 years ago. Since then she has lived at Brookfield Zoo, and been with some of the same keepers. BZ is her home. She has excellent care and keepers who dearly love her. To take her away from all she has known would stress her out, and that is not in her best interest. I invite anyone who has not seen her new outdoor yard to go to BZ this summer and observe Christy playing in her new mud wallow or throwing sand from her new sandpile, or inspecting her enchrichment tree. It is a beautiful exhibit, with 70% more space. The best way to conserve elephants in the wild is to show people how incredible they are. Since many people will never visit Africa or India to see elephants in the wild, Zoo’s are the next best thing. Research shows that seeing an elephant in person inspires people to take action to save them in the wild. Seeing and elephant on tv is fine, but visiting Christy at BZ and seeing her size, her beautiful face, her long eyelashes, and all the little hairs that cover her body is a real treat. It is my firm belief that people will love elephants when they can see them up close and learn about their behavior. And when people love something they will want to save it. Christy is not being mistreated. BZ is a clean and beautiful zoo. There are places in the world that are abusing animals, I wish that is where we could all focus our efforts. We all share the fact that we love animals and I think it would be more productive to work together in a postive way to help animals where they need it. I am very proud of Dr. Strahl for taking a strong stance on keeping Chrisy at her home, and committing to eventually having more elehants at Brookfield Zoo. Young people are being inspired by BZ and other zoos to care about the natural world. That is the goal. We want children to feel connected to animals so they will want to help save them when they are adults. Thank you, Brookfield Zoo for being part of that effort.

We were at the zoo on Saturday and it was thrilling to see hundreds of children learning about elephants, gleefully marching in the elephant parade and celebrating Christy. As a parent of a 5 and 11 year old, I know that my kids love elephants, because they have grown up seeing them at this great zoo. And they, like their parents, LOVE Brookfield Zoo for all it does the animals, for educating our kids (and adults), and for our community. THANK YOU BZ! and thanks for having elephants!

In reply to Barb and all the other people who have said that television is a sufficient way to “connect” with an elephant, then obviously you have never actually had a personal encounter with an elephant. And if you have had the opportunity to see an elephant in person and all you feel for them is saddness because of their “situation”, then you are one of those glass half empty kind of people.
I volunteer at Brookfield Zoo and had the opportunity to speak with quite a few people at the rally who thought the IDA demonstration was ridiculous.
I don’t need any peer-reviewed journal article to tell me that people are truly inspired when they see an elephant in person. (Or a gorilla, or a dolphin) The look on their faces is all I need. And a call to action does not need to be engaging in a protest, or donating money, anytime you support Brookfield Zoo, you are advancing conservation in the wild because that’s part of what the zoo does.
My responsibility as a docent is to help connect people with nature through education, and you know what, you do see the light bulb going on in people’s heads when you speak with them.

In reply to Sylvia Stewart:
On a post at Elephant.com you stated you were lead keeper from 1978-1979. That’s 30 years ago! Have you been a keeper anywhere else in the last five years? If you had, you would know that zoos have changed a lot since then.

As to studies on zoo’s roles in influencing conservation action: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb167/is_200006/ai_n5751568/ ,also http://caise.insci.org/index.php?mact=News,cntnt01,print,0&cntnt01articleid=43&cntnt01showtemplate=false&cntnt01returnid=51. Unfortunately, however, most of the studies on this are not available on-line without a subscription.
Such studies have been done in Australia and Europe in addition to the US.

The IDA and like-minded anti-zoo activists say that they care about elephants, but they seem only to care about elephants in the abstract—not about individual living, breathing, unique animals. If they cared about individual elephants they would realize that those animals form loving bonds not only with each other but with their keepers. It is cruel to a take an elephant from its longtime home and familiar surroundings and just fling it into a strange environment among a group of strangers. That is what Brookfield Zoo is being asked to do with Christy—to abandon her among strangers in a strange place, a poorly-run sanctuary with no public accountability where an injured elephant can look for no help or compassion from human beings. In short, the Zoo is being asked to betray Christy, the individual elephant, for the sake of some vague notion that elephants in general “should be free.” Brookfield Zoo rescued Christy from a garage, and the Zoo has cared for her tenderly ever since. I am glad that the Zoo is continuing to honor its commitment to Christy.

Although “acres to roam” sounds really nice in a press release, what is actually happening in those so-called sanctuaries is that elephants are being removed from the public eye so that they can be conveniently forgotten. “Out of sight out of mind” still applies. That may not be the intent of the sanctuaries but that is their result. People don’t care about animals that aren’t real to them. No one on earth sheds tears over the extinction of the dinosaurs because no one ever knew a living, breathing dinosaur. If there were no more elephants in zoos for people to interact with, the public would soon care no more about elephants than they do about dinosaurs and there would be no money or hands or will left to perform any conservation efforts to save elephants as a species.

I am tired about hearing animal extremists talk about the physical and psychological toll of elephants in zoos, or any animal for that matter. These zoos have to meet high standards of care in many areas in order to be accredited. Only 10% or 20% of all facilities can meet these standards to become accredited which speaks to how the standards are. These are individuals who have committed their lives to animals and to their care, whether in zoos or in the wild. The extremists talk about elephants dying prematurely in zoos. Where are you getting your data? Elephants in the wild are dying from poaching and have to travel miles and miles a day to avoid the danger zones and find food. Elephants in zoos have all the comforts of the best food, enrichment, veterinary care, and psychological stimulation, unlike the elephant sanctuaries that these groups espouse — that reportedly don’t have full-time veterinary staff who specialize in exotic animals and who left an elephant who was down to lie around and suffer for days before it died. What could be more inhumane? A zoo would never allow an animal to suffer like that. I know that all sides care about animals deeply, but attacking zoos whose “business” is cutting edge animal care is not the way to go.

Shirl - maybe you misunderstood my question, because the articles you cite do not respond to it. First, the question is NOT - will zoos affect visitors’ attitudes towards conservation (we already know that zoos are very good at influencing attitudes - their PR spin is very effective and many people believe that just by visiting a zoo they are helping to conserve animals). The question is, once again:
I’d like to see ONE - just ONE “peer-reviewed journal” article that shows that seeing an elephant (or any animal) in captivity will inspire an individual to take action to help their wild counterparts.
TAKE ACTION is the operative phrase here. Not “influence attitudes” or “increase awareness” but TAKE ACTION. Where is the study that shows that people who animals in captivity actually DO something to help their wild counterparts? A study done at the Philly Zoo a few years ago showed that there was NO correlation.

Penny - I am tired of hearing the zoo extremists talk about the “standard of care” required by the AZA, which is non-existent. The AZA allows chaining, bullhooks, animal rides Iincluding elephants), etc. etc. etc. to name just a few outrageous practices at AZA-accredited zoos. The main benefit that AZA accreditation provides is for the ZOOS, not the ANIMALS, in that the AZA has a big animal-swapping scheme known as the “Species Survival Plan” where animals are considered fungible, zoos can trade a surplus giraffe for a lion or camel they might need for their “collection.”

What hubris humans have to assume that an elephant’s “bond” with his/her caretaker can take the place of living with a family/friends in a sanctuary, with the abiity to roam miles a day as he/she would in the wild. Any excuse so YOU can have the pleasure of seeing an impressive animal up close. What’s in it for the elephant? Living in prison, that’s what. The bottom line is, keeping elephants in zoos is selfish at best, and cruel at worst.

I just love the comment above spouting that elephants are neglected in sanctuaries. Maybe you should go take a gander at the sanctuary Ruby (rescued from the LA Zoo) is in, and how happy Ruby was to be liberated to it. A lonely girl, Ruby is now seen entertwining trunks with her best friend, instead of bobbing her head back & forth in a small caged-in area like Tinkerbell or Billy, now the lone elephant in the LA Zoo.

It tells me a lot about how people have not really evolved to understand other beings’ suffering when their arguments come from a completely selfish place - they want that animal there to look at.

IDA is doing great work and kudos to them for creating their day of action for Elephants in Zoos.

I was at the really and parade on Saturday in honor of Elephants. I have a wondrful oportunity to be a volunteer at Brookfield zoo and have seen first hand the awe and thrill in the eyes of both children and adults who have seen a live Elephant for the first time. That is where the love and sense of sharing begins. Christy is leading a much better life than she was in a garage where we rescued her from. She belings right where she is.

I am disappointed to read that Mr. Strahl, has resorted to calling animal welfare advocates extremists, as if it were somehow abnormal to care about the comfort and well -being of an elephant who is locked inside a cell for long Chicago winters. I hate seeing her confined. It is not entertaining or educational to me. I don’t want to learn how to make an animal miserable. It’s time to value Christy, not focus on her value to you. Let’s bring the time of dominating, objectifying and using animals for human indulgences and greed to an end. If you love and value Christy, be her hero. Send her to the Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee, where she can roam in comfort, peace and beauty.
This is a beautiful video of Tarra Elephant and her friend Bella, enjoying their freedom and walk to the lake at the Sanctuary.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAN5nf04L2s&feature=PlayList&p=7C94454DC71D4B51&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=2

I am very troubled by the apparent lack of understanding there is out there about not only elephants in zoos, but all of the other animals that live there. I am seeing an anthropomorphic pattern which I do not like. We must remeber we cannot use our human emotions to describe animal behavior. We simply cannot prove emotions exsist. What makes Christy happy? She needs a healthy diet, shelter, companionship play activities, and 24hr vet care. She does receive all of that at Brookfield Zoo. RIght now, while the zoo searches for a suitable companion for Christy, her keepers are spending extra time with her to fullfill her social needs. As far as sanctuary’s go, it would be an aweful idea to send Christy to a place like that. So-called sanctuary’s are not accredited instutions. They do not have to meet the standard of care that accredited zoos do. (Brookfield Zoo is accredited) Some sanctuary’s mix dogs, cows and elephants together, this is irresponsible due to the fact that the animals can transmitt diseases that way. They use ATV’s to herd elephants. They mix elephants with TB with otherwise uninfected animals. THEY ARE NOT REGULATED! Christy knows BZ and her keepers as her home. It is in her best interest to stay where she is loved and well cared for by a dedicated and outstanding staff. She has access to 24hr vet care. At the sanctuary she would not have that. I urge all of you to visit Brookfield Zoo and see for yourselves how Christy lives. She has a huge outdoor yard and I have seen her enjoying her mud wallow, her sandpile, her enrichment tree, and her browse. Her building is closed until further notice to give her a chance to go inside and be by herself if she chooses. Please everyone, take your emotions out of this and look at the facts. Brookfield Zoo is obligated to do what is best for Christy, and that is exactly what they are doing. Dr. Strahl I am proud of you for standing firm that BZ will continue the elephant program and not send Christy to a sanctuary.

I must respond to Mary Ann Lepic’s comment above. Beyond decrying anthropomorphism, she throws out any rational criteria to assess a proper living situation for Christy.

First, there are many studies that do prove the emotional life and needs of elephants. Ms. Lepic would do well to look into the work of Cynthia Moss, Joyce Poole and others who know that elephants do indeed have emotional needs that are not met by human keepers. Also, just plopping another elephant in with her does not guarantee that she will have a friend. You would not place any two human strangers into a living situation and expect automatic compatibility.

Ms. Lepic is also lumping good sanctuaries in with a variety of businesses who just call themselves sanctuaries. We should all learn how to tell a good sanctuary from someplace that just uses that term. Learn how to differentiate them at http://sanctuaryfederation.org/ The AZA promotes minimal standards for care, and it requires that member zoos transfer their animals to another member zoo upon request. A sanctuary is a forever home for the animal. The elephants will not be traded away to a zoo. Also, all facilities are required to maintain separate facilities for elephants who may be at risk for TB. This is a USDA regulation, not part of accrediting a zoo. There are a host of regulations that are observed to keep any risk of disease from spreading to healthy populations. 24 hour veterinary care is indeed available at the two accredited elephant sanctuaries, including world class veterinarians who are experts in elephant care.

The Association Of Sanctuaries maintains a list of accredited sanctuaries. Their list of elephant sanctuaries is at http://www.taosanctuaries.org/sanctuaries/elephants.htm

The elephants are not herded in a sanctuary. At The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee, the elephants have hundreds and thousands of acres to roam at will. Yes, Cal, the caregivers need to seek out each of the elephants wherever they have roamed whenever they take their food to them. The staff uses four-wheelers for their own transportation, to carry food out to the elephants wherever they happen to be in the habitat. How would you prefer to carry bales of hay and tubs of veggies for miles off road?

Having lived my entire life in northern IL, I know that this climate is too harsh for an elephant. It is unhealthy to have to confine Christy indoors during our long winters. And no zoo habitat can provide the hundreds of acres or more that an elephant needs for exercise. Elephants are built to walk, and they do so for miles a day, even when food would be provided in one spot continuously. They also need a pond deep enough to submerge in, not just a mud wallow. An “enrichment tree’? How about forests full of trees where an elephant can seek shade on a hot day, nap, snack, play and push the trees down at will?

I applaud BZ for rescuing Christy and taking such good care of her for many years. Now I ask that we all put Christy’s needs as an elephant above our desire to see such a beautiful creature up close. Send her to a sanctuary where she can choose her own friends and roam where she wants in a climate that more closely mimics her homeland.

Barbara S., while your intentions are heartfelt, you have been misinformed. Brookfield Zoo is subject to surprise inspections from the USDA, which they have always passed. If BZ tried to herd elephants wtih ATV’s or housed elephants with other species or animals infected with TB, they would be in serious violation with the USDA and risking being shut down. The last information I had on the Tennessee so-called sanctuary was that they are not subjected to the same stringent animal housing standards that accredited zoos are. Why on earth would that be better for Christy? It is my understanding that the sanctuary does not have a 24hr vet staff. BZ has 24 hour vet care, who is very qualified to work with elephants. It is not good for an elephants stress level to chase them with ATVs. (BZ moniters all of their animals stress levels through fecal samples). It is irresponsible to house dogs, cows, etc. with elephants. Keep in mind that BZ has had an elephant program for 75 years! I think they know what they are doing. Now, on the issue of emotions, there is no scientific way to prove animals have emotions. When you study elephants or any other animal you must only record what you can explain scientifically. That is behavior. Zoo Keepers have a very important job in that they must be able to tell when the animals in their care are off. They observe behavior and decide what is best for the animal in question. Christy’s keepers keep a good watch on her and know how to read her behavior. Who watches the elepants at the sanctuary? You made a sarcastic comment about her new outdoor yard. Sounds to me that you have not seen it. Elephants need mud wallows to spray mud on themselves to prevent sunburn and bug bites. Come to BZ and see Christy for yourself before you make emotional conclusions about a situatiuon you have only read about. On your comment about Christy’s enrichment tree, it provides her excercise and mental stimulation. She uses her truck to find treats hidden throughout the structure, just like she would in the wild. As far as her exercise in general, in the wild elephants walk hundreds of miles in search of food and water. They are not walking for the sake of exercise. At BZ Christy is given her food and water so she does not need to walk hundreds of miles in search of food. She does however get her exercise everyday. Her keepers give her baths, she gets browse placed around her outdoor yard which she must locate, she uses her mud wallow just like she would in the wild. She also has a sandplie which she can lean on, throw sand on her back, and just play if she chooses. Also, her outdoor yard has a sandy base which is good for her feet. Her indoor stall has a special flooring material that helps cushion her weight. (It is like the difference between walking on cement barefoot, or wearing running shoes). In winter she is allowed access to her outdoor yard if the weather is safe for her to go out. She is given enrichment activities in winter to keep her stimulated mentally and physically. Her keepers take very good care of her. Christy has lived at BZ since 1984, and has survived just fine throughout the seasons. Do you really think that BZ would endanger her life? Do you think BZ would be an accredited zoo if they where not taking excellent care of the animals? Christy’s social needs are an issue of great concern. Her companion of the last 25 years has sadly passed away recently. BZ is currently searching for a new companion for Christy. When someone is located the animals will be slowly introduced to each other to allow for a relationship to develop. BZ does not just throw animals together, there are procedures to introduce animals. For now her keepers are spending extra time with her to help her get through this difficult time. I mean no disrespect when I say this but you are anthropomorphisizing elephants in general. Biologists and zoologists, and scientists must look only at facts and behavior. You cannot use human emotions to strudy animal behavior. You can misunderstand your animal that way. There are only a handfull of people that know what is best for Christy. Her keepers who have been her human companions for decades. It would not be in Chrisy’s best interest to take her from her home. She has a good life at BZ. She has keepers who love her, she has volunteers who adore her and a director who will fight to keep her where she belongs.

Thanks, Mary Ann, for your very informative, detailed, and educated comments. You’ve covered several issues that many of us would have liked to address in such a way that everyone should be capable of not only understanding but appreciating. I’m happy and proud to support the fine job BZ/CZS has done in their elephant program, and will continue into the future.

I find it interesting that several comments have listed how bad the AZA is but yet on the TAOS website under Approved Animal Placement Facility - AZA accreditation satifies their requirements. Enough said.

Taken from the TAOS website:
“Approved Animal Placement Facility

A facility that meets TAOS animal care standards but that does not meet other requirements of an accredited facility. When an animal needs placement and no accredited facility is available, he/she may be placed with an Approved organization either temporarily or permanently. (AZA accreditation satisfies this requirement and substitutes for a site visit.)”

May I say we need each and every animal that there is; they are connected with us, when they’re gone, well so are we.
What’s wrong with people not understanding this? Why can’t we do all there is for an animal? Do you realize how many man hours goes into caring for them? Do you realize the pain and agoney that this zoo felt at our loss of Affie?
Why can’t we understand the time it takes to run programs, for people to learn how important it is to do the work to care for our creatures?
For all the other’s who do get it ,thank God and yourselves for the unlimited time you give, if only other’s could understand what the animals have givven back to us.
Want the animals to have more room start donating time and money to the program so that your wishes have the ability to come to fruition. The one’s who are doing it and profoundly well with the limitations they have shoud be honored for there dedication and care.
I pray that together we consider what’s at steak, how could you really believe Christy would want to move from her home,her memories, and the love she’s given here.
Think before we speak, ask when we don’t understand, and give, donate and care for the zoo’s and there ability to do so much with so very little.

In response to the post from Barbara S.

Barbara, you included a link from the TAOS website that lists accredited sanctuaries. However, if you go to their home page, it indicates that TAOS no longer exists. I have copied text from that page below.

The Association of Sanctuaries (TAOS) felt a stronger organization with greater resources and capacity than its own was needed to provide the recognition, assistance, and development deserved by animal sanctuaries and the field as a whole. TAOS approached various national animal protection organizations about this need and is delighted with the formation of Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS). Thus TAOS has ceased operation and is confident that GFAS is carrying the sanctuary field to greater professionalization and globalization.

So, apparently TAOS has shut down and GFAS is now the organization with responsibility for accreditation.

But when you go to the GFAS website, it does not list The Elephant Sanctuary in TN as an addredited facility. http://sanctuaryfederation.org/gfas-sanctuaries.php

I previously asked for clarification on this issue from IDA - the organizers of the protest at Brookfield Zoo and received no response.

Any additional information would be appreciated.

From what I heard, the Zoo’s elephant rally was a big success, while the anti-zoo protests were a joke.

If you don’t like zoos, here’s an idea — just don’t go to them. But leave them alone, so those of us who love them can enjoy them (with elephants).

Ms. Lepic, again you have mentioned no scientific way to prove that animals have emotions. Yet you go on at length about her enrichment and social needs regarding companionship. You also mention stress levels. What is stress if not an emotion? If you can accept her need for enrichment and companionship, how can you draw a line of where her emotional needs begin and end? Most pet owners recognize when their dogs and cats are happy or sad. Where is the limit of which species may or may not experience joy or suffer unhappiness?

Scientists who have devoted their lives to observing elephants in the wild have learned much about how the elephants interact. They have followed families over the course of decades, through births, deaths, migrations, attacks and all other facets of life. When elephants approach a water hole after a long migration, they splash and play in the water. An emotionless creature would just drink, perhaps bathe and move on. If elephants don’t have emotions, then why would mothers, aunts cousins and siblings trumpet and fuss, struggling to rescue a baby who has fallen into deep mud or a well? What should we see when elephants lead an aged relative to softer food when they are unable to chew tougher plants anymore?

I’m not projecting human emotions onto elephants, There is plenty of information from behaviorists as well as caregivers who dedicate themselves to meeting the full needs of elephants. If you restrict yourself to what can be measured with rulers, beakers and electrodes you will miss much of what makes life worth living. We must remember to keep a balance in understanding and attempting to meet the entire spectrum of needs of any species in our care.

I don’t know where you get your claims about what goes on at sanctuaries. All animal care facilities are subject to licensing and inspection by the USDA. In addition, The Elephant Sanctuary is also licensed and subject to inspection by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. The TWRA has even more restrictive standards than the USDA. The sanctuary meets the standards of both agencies regarding elephants who have been exposed to, or who have tested positive for, tuberculosis. There is no intermingling of healthy and at-risk populations.

As for dogs, they are primarily strays that were dropped off at the gate. The area had no animal shelter until The Sanctuary worked with local government to establish one recently. About mingling of the species, the beauty of a sanctuary is the space available. Elephants and dogs only interact to the extent that they wish. Either is free to walk away and have no contact. One pair, Tarra and Bella, have become best friends. Others have nothing to do with each other. Dogs who don’t like elephants can stay away from them, and elephants who don’t like dogs can easily avoid them. Interaction is similar to the interactions they have with wildlife that passes through the habitat.

Regarding your claim of cows kept with elephants, this is a nonissue. There are no cattle kept with elephants in either of the two highly regarded elephant sanctuaries any more than there is a Metra platform in Christy’s yard.

To jme, thank you for your question about accreditation. The GFAS evolved out of a need for worldwide standards for sanctuaries. Making the transition from TAOS to GFAS is a huge job for all involved. This only came about within the last year, so I’m sure that it will take some time for them to go through the process to accredit all sanctuaries who were accredited under TAOS. The lack of information should not be construed to reflect on the qualifications of any sanctuary that does not appear on the list.

And to LG, The Elephant Sanctuary is Accredited by TAOS. An “approved animal placement facility” is not accredited. It meets TAOS care standards but does not meet other standards of an accredited facility. It may be appropriate for placement when an accredited facility is not available. This may be a temporary placement or permanent, depending on the situation. While AZA’s care standards meet TAOS standards, other aspects of AZA standards do not.

I would never suggest that BZ has not provided a good home for Christy for these many years. They are to be commended for the way they have taken care of her. There are many other captive elephants living in far worse circumstances, and if they had the opportunity they would be lucky to live like Christy does.

I see that you care deeply for both Christy and BZ, and I respect that. They are both fortunate to have you as such dedicated supporters. I also care about Christy’s welfare. If BZ has no interest in moving her to a sanctuary, I believe that she will be lovingly cared for at the zoo. Beyond that we will probably have to agree to disagree.

I have been visiting Brookfield Zoo for 40 years. It is a beautiful zoo. The horticuluture dept. does a great job both in the exhibits and around the zoo. It is a wonderful place for families to spend a day. It is fine to watch animals on TV, however nothing compares to seeing an animal up close. The best defense that conservation efforts have is education. When people visit BZ not only do they get to enjoy great day, but they get more information then they come in with in reguards to animals and the situations they are facing in the wild. Seeing an elephant up close gives people a chance to see details like eyelashes, trunk muscles, toenails, and all the little hairs that cover their bodies. You will not get that on TV. You will also get to see Christy playing and interacting with all of the activities she has in her enclosure. This does inspire children and adults to care for elephants in the wild. That is the best way to help conserve elephants in the wild. When people see and learn for themselves how awesome Christy is, they will love all elephants. When we love something we will want to preserve it for the future. That helps conservation locally as well as globally. Christy and all the other animals that live at BZ play an important roll for their wild counterparts, that is animal ambassadoors. Many people will never travel the world to see animals in their natural ecosystems. BZ is a place where people can visit and see animals they never even knew exisited. BZ has beautiful exhibits that make very naturalistic homes for all of the animals that live there. Worldwide, animals are facing habitat loss, climate change, wars, and an ever expanding human population. Visiting BZ provides a unique opportunity for people to learn specifics about what they can do to help wild animals survive for future generations. BZ participates in conservation efforts all over the world. They are helping endangered animals like the mexican grey wolf here in North America, humbolt pequins that live in Chile, and golden lion tamirins from South America, to name a few. They are trying to save endangered animals with cooperation from other zoos through a program called the species survival program, which is a captive breeding program that is helping to save animals that are on the brink of extinction. Some of these creatures only exist in zoos. (like the micro-king fisher from Guam)). That roll is an admirable and necessary effort which I am greatful for. Modern zoos, in my opinion, play the most important roll in educating people about the problems confronting animals throughout the world. It is a great way to reach millions of people that otherwise would not know what was happening to animals and their wild homes. I love Brookfield Zoo. I am very happy that Dr. Strahl has decided to keep the elephant program and not give in to extreme animal rights groups. Again, education is the best defense there is for conservationl. Keep up the good work BZ!

Barbara S. I am very happy that you love animals. I appreciate the fact that you care deeply about Christy’s well-being. It means a lot to me that there are people out there like you that are watching how people treat animals. I must tell you that you need not worry about Christy’s living conditions. She has a great home.I just want to respond to your comment about stress and emotion. Again there is no credible way to prove scientifically that animals have emotions. I wish there was, but there is not. The way we judge an animals well-being is by observation of individual behavior. That is why zoo keepers are so important to their animals. They are the first line of defense in making certain that the animals in their care are well. Christy will not get that kind of care at a sanctuary. Now, we cannot prove stress is emotionally based. What we can do is measure stress hormones found in fecal samples. Keepers and endocrinologists employed at BZ work together to decide how to best care for the animals at BZ, If an animal is showing signs of strange behavior, looking at stress hormones could possibly help diagnose the problem. I am not suggesting Christy is not affected in some way by the death of her companion Affie, but I am saying that no one can prove emotions in animals. Christy plays in her mud wallow and plays with her sandpile everyday, just like an elephant in the wild would do. She loves to get special food treats, and delights Brookfield Zoo guests with her playful nature. As I mentioned before, Christy and any other future elephants at BZ for that matter, gets baths, check-ups, exercise, toys, and food treats. I promise you she has a wonderful home and needs to stay with her keepers whom she has a very stable and trusting relationship with. In reguards to your continued insistance that sanctuaries are held to high standards by the USDA, and are accredited, I respectfully disagree. BZ had to not only pass stringent animal care standards, but must maintian and continue to improve the lives of their animals to be an accredited zoo. And by the way, there are about 2,500 exhibitors in North America, and only about 10% or so meet the accreditation standards that BZ has to. My information on the Tennessee so-called santuary is that it has not been accredited by any organizatoin. My information also states that the USDA does not inspect sanctuaries on a regular basis. The USDA does surprise inspections at BZ annually. I stand firm in my arguement that the sanctuaries do not meet the same standards of animal care that Brookfield Zoo and other accredited zoos do, that is a fact, not my personal opinion. Ask yourself honestly, are you basing your arguement on your own opinion of animal care? As I mentioned before BZ is an accredited institutiuon with high standards for animal care. Whether or not the dogs are strays does not hold water. They should not be housed with elephants. I think it would be horrible for Christy to go to a place like that. The information you have shared about this Tennesse place is NOT the information I have found. Perhaps you should do a little more research on that place. If BZ tried to argue that the dogs living with Christy elephant just wandered in, they would be in a heep of trouble, risking severe consquences. Again Barbara, I am not trying to insult your intellegence, but you are anthropomorphisizing elephants. That is dangerous territory because you can misread animal behavior and what it means. It is very difficult for humans to retrain themselves to think about what is best for animal well-being without using human standards for emotional judgements, and explainations. Everyone out there can rest assured that Christy is so deeply loved and cared for at BZ along with all of the animals that live there. They have a very qualified keeper staff second to no one. I passionatly support Christy staying at BZ because that is what is best for her. Barbara, you mentioned you live in Illinois, so spend a day and come for a visit. You may be surprised to see how well Chrisy is cared for. Brookfield Zoo serves a very important purpose in the big picture for conservation. Most people do not wake up everyday thinking of ways to help stop habitat loss, or climate change, or crimes against animals. When people visit BZ they see and learn things about animals, including elephants, that inspire them to care for the natural world both locally and globally. Perhaps they leave thinking I won’t buy that fur coat, or I won’t buy a souvenior made of ivory, or even be inspired to become educated about our local and federal elections and vote for canidates that support conservation and matters relating to treating our Earth a little better than we have in the past. All of this will help the zoological community promote conservation. I am completely convinced that showing people animals in zoos, like sweet Christy elephant helps conservation more than anything. It inspires children to want to work with animals as adults. The up coming generations of kids have a huge task ahead of them in reguards to dealing with climate change, endangered animals, human health, and depleting water supplies, just to name a few, The future health of the world, including what happens to all of the wonderous species of animals and plants we share our planet with depends on them. Brookfield Zoo, and all other accredited zoos are helping to inspire our worlds children to take on that challange. Good on you Brookfield Zoo!

People who enjoy the zoo need to remember that when you see Christy (or any animal) interact with her enclosure, you are learning about how a captive animal lives. You learn about how she cooperates with her keepers, not how she would choose to go about her day. You will not learn about how an elephant lives with her family in the wild. These are two very different things.

There are DVDs and television programs that will take you into the natural world of the elephant. Echo of the Elephants is a wonderful set of DVDs to learn about the complex social structure of the matriarchal herd.

There are also wonderful webcams to watch wildlife going about their daily business. I highly recommend the cam at Pete’s Pond in Botswana at http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/wildcamafrica/ The camera is live 24 hours a day. Activity is often high near dawn, which is sometime around 10 pm Central time. You’ll have the opportunity to watch a wide variety of wildlife there.

Technology is rapidly evolving to bring the world to us in ways that don’t impact nature. If you don’t yet see what you want, let film makers, National Geographic, etc. know what you would like. They want to provide the product that viewers want to see.

And don’t just leave it up to the zoo to save animals. There are reputable organizations working to save species in their native habitats. Please locate one that works with your favorite animal and give them your support too.

To Barbara S.

My point is that TAOS is accepting AZA accreditation. They did not say this did not live up to “their” standards, they did not say this way a marginal substitution, it did not say they accept some of them but not others. They said they accept them. To me this means they accept all of them.

To all of you crowing about how wonderful life is for elephants at Brookfield Zoo, I have one word: Ziggy. Remember him? He was the Brookfield Zoo elephant who spent 30 YEARS IN A STALL, CHAINED TO A WALL, WITHOUT EVER GOING OUTSIDE. What an awesome existence that must have been. Truly the gold standard in animal care. Yes, he injured his keeper, but it was during his musth, when testoterone levels are very high and aggressive behavior should be expected and appropriate protective measures should be taken. The Zoo bears full responsibility for that incident, yet it was Ziggy who was punished by a lifetime of isolation and deprivation. Based on that shameful incident alone, Brookfield Zoo should never be allowed to have elephants again.

Barbara it sounds to me like you are anti-zoo. Brookfield Zoo is an accredited zoo. Do you understand what that means? It means that BZ provides a standard of animal care that is far above excellent. Brookfield Zoo is accredited by the AZA (Association of Zoos and Aquariums). You have stated that your opinion is that Christy African elephant should go to a sanctuary. Sanctuaries are not held to the same standards of animal care that accredited zoos are. These sanctuaries are not accredited by the AZA. Your arguements are more suited to circus elephants. Christy does not live like a circus elephant. She receives outstanding care. You are still anthropromorphisizing elephants. Animal professionals cannot do that.You stated that I was describing how Christy lives a captive life. Christy is not a captive. She can choose what she wants to do all day. First her door is open so she can choose if she wants to stay indoors or go outdoors. She can play in or on her sandpile, she can play in her mud wallow, she can play with her toys, she can eat her hay, she can search for her browse and food treats. She can go into the shaded areas of her yard or stand in the sun. She can spray herself with water or run, walk. and even lay down if she so chooses. All of these behaviors mimic elephant behavior in the wild. For some one who loves elephants so much, I am dissappointed to read how little you understand about elephant behavior. Seeing elephants on the web or on tv will never compare to seeing an elephants eyes, mouth, tongue, tail, and behavior in the flesh. In reguards to your comments about documenty type shows about wild elephants, while they are entertaining and informative, they are programs that are desinged to bring in money to a network or freelance filmmaker. That is fine, but it is not always baised on science. I would like to share with you something I have seen at BZ. I have seen Christy’s keepers spraying a watering hose into her mouth, and seeing the inside of an elephants mouth is so cool. We can only have an experience like that with a real live in person elephant. Millions of people have come to Brookfield Zoo to see Christy. It is a proven fact that when people see elephants in zoos they become inspired to save them in the wild. Some of the zoo guests that see Christy will be and have been inspired to work with elephants as a career. That is how we help elephants. That is how we save elephants. Elephants in Africa are becoming increasingly endangered,and need our help, and elephants in India are facing continued habitat loss and also need our help. Once again I must say that you are anthropomorphisizing elephants. You are using your emotional connection to elephants to justify your interpretation of how elephants should be treated, and housed. I mean no disrespect to you, and you are entitled to free speech, but how does that help to conserve elephants in the wild? The impression that your comments have left on me is that you think Christy is living in a prison camp. You are wrong. As I explained earlier, Christy can choose how she spends her day. By the way, BZ trains their elephants and all of their animals with positive re-enforcement. Here is one example. Christy’s keepers must file her toenails and scrape the calluses off of her feet to keep her feet in good condition. She is trained to present her feet with a food reward being her motiviatior. It she is not cooperating, she is not forced by her keepers to stay. She will not get a treat and her keepers will try another time. She is never hit or hurt in any way. BZ does not use negative re-enforcement of any kind. Undesired behaviors are simply ignored. She is never chained or forced to do anything she does not choose to do. I disagree with you that zoo guests will not learn about elephant behavior in the wild by observing Christy. All of the acitivities she does, like spraying mud on her back, playing in her sandpile, searching for her browse, and standing in the sun or shade are all natural elephant behaviors. Period! The behavioral enrichment activites provided to Christy are designed to create a natural life for her. That is a fact, not my opinion. My goal is to conserve elephants. Christy is very important in that effort because she is an ambassador for all elephants living in the wild. When people visit BZ they can learn about things they can do to help elephants living in the wild and conservation efforts all over the world. Keep in mind visiting an accredited zoo is the only way most people will have the opportunity to see an elephant up close. This is a great starting point to help educate people about wild elephants and how we can help them to survive for future generations. I invite you to come to BZ and see for yourself how Christy lives. If you have never been to BZ to see how she lives, how can you comment on what is best for her? I must stress again that Christy has a great life at BZ. She has a qualified keeper staff, she has a healthy diet, she receives mental and physical stimuation, and has 24 hour vet care by vets that are not only qualified to work with elephants, tigers, african wild dogs, eagles, polar bears, giraffs, and hundreds more species that live comfortably at BZ. So again, why should Christy go to a sanctuary when she already has a safe and enriching home? I am a lifelong animal lover and have several pets that I have rescued from terrible living conitions. I would never support any one of any place that was not treating their animals with love and respect. All the animals at BZ are treated very well. Brookfield Zoo is a conservation institution. The mission of the Chicago Zoological Society (Brookfield Zoo’s correct name) is to inspire conservation leadership by connecting people with wildlife and nature. The vision is to be the pre-eminent zoological institution working with people to achieve a more sustainable and harmonious relationship with nature. BZ is a recreational and educational place that is family friendly. Barbara you or anyone else that wants to help elephants can donate to BZ to help care for Christy and future elephants living at BZ. The support would also go to help elephant conservation programs in Africa. Brookfield Zoo helped to lead efforts to ban international trade in ivory, helping to cut down on poaching. There are animals all over the world that are being severely mistreated and abused. Christy is not one of them. She is right where she needs to be. In fact, Dr Strahl is comminted to BZ elephant program and has future plans to expand the elephant enclosure and bring 6 to 8 elephants to live at BZ. He is also currently searching for a new companion for Christy so she can continue to live a natural life. Thank you Brookfield zoo for working so hard to conserve animals all over the world. Keep up your outstanding work!

To Debbie:

Ziggy’s situation happened over 30 years ago and to bring that up now is irresponsible. Hopefully you have grown from experience and education just as the zoo has.

Please enter the 21st century.

Debbie, I have a different take on Ziggy. I grew up in the south suburbs. As I child, I loved Ziggy. He did inspire me to work with animals and conservation. Ziggy came to live at Brookfield in 1936. He was just 16 years old. He had been working in the Ziegfeld Follies, and became to difficult to work with. So, moving him to a zoo was the best option at that time. People who took care of Ziggy at BZ had the best intentions, and tried to give him a good life. It was a learnig process, one of trial and error. When he lived at BZ he was believed to be the largest animal in a zoo in America. In the early 1970s, a media campaign raised money to move Ziggy outside. Thousands of school children, myself being one of them, sent in our allowance, change, etc., to contribute to the cause. That had a profound and lasting affect on me as a child. When my parents brought me to the zoo to see Ziggy, I thought he belonged to me. I also sent a get well card to him when he got hurt. The zoo wrote a letter that was published in the papers to thank people for sending in the get well and well wishes, as a 5 or 6 year old, I thought Ziggy himself wrote the letter. Oh well, I had a lot to learn. Anyway, he was outside in his new yard by 1973. He fell into his moat in 1975 and died a few months later. He was 55 years old. For an elephant that was an extremely long life. The median age for an elephant is 33 years old. Brookfield Zoo has worked very hard to improve the lives of their animals over the years. Like I said earlier, it has been a learning process for the zoo. While is was sad that ZIggy did not get to enjoy his outdoor yard for very long, I believe that Brookfield Zoo aways took the best care of Ziggy that they knew how. I believe he was the last male elephant to be housed at BZ. Male elephants can get extemely aggressive during the “love season”, and are very difficult to work with during that time. They also need a lot of space to roam. I fully support BZ and everything they are doing to connect poeple to the natural world. It is a very important job. I found the information on Ziggy in a book called Brookfield Zoo And The Chicago Zoological Society, by Douglas Deuchler and Carla W. Owens. If anyone is interested in learning about the history of BZ it is a great book!

It is sad that the Zoo would spend its time organizing a “rally” to keep poor Christy prisoner in an exhibit that is too small and strips her of everything that is instinctual to elephants. She has no quality of life and her health is deteriorating. The Brookfield Zoo is acting out of its vested interest in keeping elephants prisoner so people will come and pay admission fees to see her. I urge the Zoo to transcend its self-serving interests and finally do the right thing by sending poor Christy to The Elephant Sanctuary where she will have over 2700 acres of natural habitat and a healthier, more elephant-friendly life.

Nancy F, Have you ever been to Brookfield Zoo? The elephant rally at BZ was to celebrate the success of the elephant program at BZ. They have had an elephant program for 75 years!!!! They are very good at taking care of elephants. Christy is NOT a prisoner. She has mental and physical activities that keep her stimulated. She can choose how she spends her days. First she has the choice to stay inside of her indoor enclosure or go outside to her new yard, which is not too small. Her yard has been renovated and is 70% larger. It is a beautiful enclosure. She has a large mud wallow that she can play in, and she does so often. The mud that she sprays onto her back is to cut down on bug bites, even though elephants have thick skin they can still feel a fly bite, They also can get sunburn, when the mud dries into the wrinkles on her back it forms a mud coating, and is a natural sunscreen. She also has an enrichment tree which allows her to explore and browse looking for treats hidden in the tree. Her keepers place fresh browse all around her exhibit in the mornings and she walks around searching for it. She also gets a bath from her keepers in the mornings. She also is provided with toys to stimulate her curiosity. She can run, walk, stand in the shade or the sun whenever she wants to. All of what I have described are activites that mimic natural elephant behavior. She is in excellent health and has a very dedicated keeper staff and 24 hour vet care-with plenty of experience working with elepants and all the animals that live at BZ. Brookfield is a not for profit organization-depending on donations, fundrasing, and cook county forest preserve funds(which they must share with all of cook county), to operate. All of the money that comes into the zoo goes directly to benefit the animals in buying food and medicine. BZ is not keeping animals in prison just to bring people in to spend their money. Every person that works there, both paid staff and volunteers, work there because they love the animals and care about conservation. Once again, elephant sanctuaries are not accredited by the AZA (Association of Zoos and Aquariums) Sanctuaries do not operate under the same high standards of animal care that accredited zoos do. They are not held to the same high-care standards that BZ is. Again, Brookfield Zoo is an accredited zoo that works very hard to make sure all of the animals are getting above excellent care. Why the hec would it be better to send Chrisy to a sanctuary where the elephants are herded with ATVs and housed with other species of animals? She has been with her keepers for many years, she know BZ as her home. To move her to a place where she does not receive high standards of care and where she knows no one would be wrong. She has a great home at BZ. She has lived at BZ since 1984 and has been just fine over these last few decades. Her life at BZ is elephant friendly. Nancy, why don’t you visit Brookfield Zoo yourself to see how well Chrisy is cared for. It is a proven fact that people who see elephants in zoo are motivated to save them in the wild. Education is the best defense we have to help conserve animals and ecosytems throughout the world. If you truly want to help Christy donate to BZ to help care for Chrisy, and the future elephant herd that will be housed at BZ. The money would also contribute to elephant conservation programs in Africa where elephant populations are becoming endangered at a rapid pace. That is why BZ’s elephant program is so important. Most people will not be able to afford to travel to Afica or India to see a wild elephant. They can go to an accredited zoo, like Brookfield Zoo and see the amazing creatures up close. Nothing compares to that. I firmly believe and will defend the fact that Christy is right where she needs to be. Thank you Brookfield Zoo for taking such good care a such a special animal, Christy. Keep your elephant program!!!

Ig, what’s truly irresponsible is taking living, breathing, sentient beings out of their environment, against their will, and holding them in captivity, simply to serve a selfish desire to interact with them. How arrogant to presume that your desire to see elephants in person outweighs their right to live as naturally as possible. To quote Alice Walker, “The animals of the world exist for their own reasons. They were not made for humans any more than black people were made for white or women for men.”

And, as far as your invitation to enter the 21st century, please feel free to do so yourself; I’ll even hold the door open for you. Elephant exhibits in zoos are an anachronism. Exploiting another group or species for purely selfish purposes has no place in a modern, ethical and compassionate society.

Mary Ann, I can appreciate that as a child you had a child’s viewpoint about Ziggy and other zoo animals. But now, as an adult, I find your comments puzzling. How does seeing an elephant in a zoo “connect people to the natural world”? Life in a zoo is about as unnatural as it can get for an elephant. In the natural world, female elephants like Christie live in large, closely knit family groups of related females, led by a matriarch. Males like Ziggy move in and out of more loosely formed groups made up of other males. Elephants in the natural world take dust baths and mud baths, they bathe in ponds and rivers, and they walk miles and miles a day in search of food. Zoo visitors see none of that natural behavior, because no zoo can provide that kind of expansive habitat. Where is the connection to “the natural world”?

It’s just incomprehensible to me that some like yourself, who clearly has affectionate feelings towards the BZ elephants, can think it’s perfectly acceptable to keep them in an environment that is so detrimental to their well-being. The number one killer of captive elephants is debilitating and painful foot and joint disease (osteomyelitis) caused by standing for years. From what I’ve read, this may well be what killed Affie. Elephant experts say this disease is unheard of in natural elephant populations where walking miles and miles a day keeps their feet and joints healthy. How can you support a practice that results in such misery for the creatures you purport to care about?

Even if the BZ keeps its elephant exhibit, doesn’t Christie deserve retirement after her decades of service? Hasn’t she given enough to the people of Chicago? When Bunny was retired to The Elephant Sanctuary, the people of Evansville knew they would miss her, but they loved her enough to selflessly put her best interests ahead of their own desires, and she lived the remaining 10 years of her life roaming the hills of Tennessee with her new sisters. Even her foot issues resolved! When Bunny passed, the people of Evansville left hundreds of tributes to her, all expressing their gratitude for her gift to them and their happiness that she was able to experience the freedom and dignity she had so richly earned. Doesn’t Christie deserve the same freedom and dignity?

Debbie, I must ask, Have you ever even been to Brookfield Zoo? It sounds to me like you have not. How can you make such harsh judgements about something you have only read about? A lack of understanding and a lack of education hurts conservation efforts. Also, who is your source of information about BZ? The zoo you are descriibing is not BZ. I take offense at your comment that I viewed Ziggy through a child’s eyes. I am 40 years old and have spent a considerable amount ot time studying the natural world and conservation. I am very well informed and educated about the truth in reguards to elephant behavior. It is a proven fact that when people see elephants up close in an accredited zoo like BZ, they are motivated to save elephants in the wild. That is a fact, not my opinion. With all due respect, you are anthropomorphisizing elephants and their behavior. You cannot use human emotions and judgements to explain animal behavior. You can misread an animals behavior that way. Now, why do I think that seeing an elephant at BZ can help inspire people to care about them in the wild? First, most people will never travel to Africa or India to see an elephant in the wild, and nothing compares to seeing an elephants eyes, trunk reaching for something, tail hairs, skin,etc., in person. Second, most people do not wake up every day wanting to help conserve the natural world. So when people visit BZ, they can see elephants, and all of the other wonderful creatures that live there, and see how awesome they are. When people see all of the animals up close, in the flesh, and become educated to the situations facing them in their wild homes, they love them. They also learn a little about the animals natural behavior. People will only want to save what they love, appreciate, and understand. That is how zoos can connect people with the natural world. My passion is conservation, which I learned to care about as a child in part because of my experience seeing Ziggy at BZ. Brookfield Zoo is a conservation institution, working very hard to save many endangered animals through their species survival plan, which is an effort among many zoos to breed endangered creatures with the intentions of saving them for the future, and releasing them back to the wild. (If people don’t get to learn about the animals they will not do anything to help conserve them). In the wild, elephants are becoming increasingly endangered and need all the help they can get. (BZ helped to lead efforts to ban inernational trade in ivory, which helped to cut down on poaching). When a child sees and elephant in a zoo, they feel connected and some will grow up to work with conservation, like I did. Why don’t you visit Brookfield Zoo and see for yourself how well Christy African Elephant lives. You are dead wrong when you say that Affie died of foot disease. She did not, it is a lie, and wherever you found that information it is not true. Brookfield Zoo takes excellent care of their elephants and all the animals. They are an accredited zoo with the AZA ( Association of Zoos and Aquariums). Christy’s outdoor yard, which has been renovated to be 70% larger than it was, has a sandy base to it which helps keep her feet healthly. Her keepers scrape the callus-like bottom off of feet on a regular basis to keep her feet healthy. Her indoor stall has a special flooring that cushions her wieight. It is the difference of walking barefoot on concert or walking in tennis shoes. So, her feet are in perfect shape. I can assure you that BZ does not mistreat their animals. By the way, Brookfield Zoo trains their animals with positive re-enforcement, reward based training. Undesired behavior is ignored not punished. Christy is never hurt or forced to do anything she does not want to do. Christy has a beautiful outdoor yard to explore. She has a sandpile that she plays in or throws onto her back, she has a mud wallow that she plays in and covers herself in, which is exactly how a wild elephant behaves. And she can through dirt or hay on her back as well, and does so often. Even though elephants have thick skin, they can feel a fly bite, so having mud dry into all the wrinkles an folds in her skin gives her a nice protective coating, it also protects her sensitive skin from sunburn. She can spray water on herself, she can stand in the shade or sun if she wants to. She can snack on all of the fresh browse that her keepers place throughout her yard. She has an enrichment tree which encourages her to forage for treats hidden throughout the structure. She has toy she can play with. Her keepers give her baths, and take excellent care of her skin. Also, in the wild elephants must walk large distances in search of food and water, at BZ Chrisy’s food and water are provided to her, so she has no need to walk that far. However, it is important for her to get daily exercise, and that is why the zoo has works so hard to provide her with so many behavior enrichment activities so she can be stimulated mentally and physically, and live a natural life. (By the way all of the behaviors I just described mimic natural elephant behavior). Her keepers love her very much and spend their days taking the best care of her they can. As I mentioned earlier, Brookfield Zoo is an accredited zoo, do you think they would have earned that status if they were not taking excellent care of their animals? Christy came to BZ in 1984 when she was rescued from a garage. BZ is her home. She has been with the same keepers all of her life and has developed a trusting relationshlp with them. As soon as her friend Affie passed away, (Affie came to BZ in 1979), the zoo began the process of locating a suitable companion for Christy so she can continue to live a natural life. Her keepers are spending extra time with her to fullfill her social needs to help get her through this difficult time. Debbie, the sanctuaries are not accredtied and mix other species of animals in with their elephants. They herd them with atvs, and do not have 24 hour vet staff. (Brookfield Zoo has 24 hour vet-staff). The sanctuaries also have elephants that are infected with TB housed with elephants that are not infected. If BZ tried to pull any of that garbage they would be in serious trouble with the USDA, and risking being shut down. Sanctuaries are not held to the same high standards of care for their animals the accredited zoos are. Out of about 2,500 licensed exhibitors in North America, only about 10% are accredited institutions, like Brookfield Zoo. Why on earth would it be better to send Christy to that place? Christy is an ambassodor for her species and should stay right where she is. Brookfield Zoo has future plans of making the elephant enclosure much larger, and adding 6 to 8 more elephants to form a herd. I fully support that effort. I want BZ to keep the elephant program, which they have had successfully for 75 years.The misson of the Chicago Zoological Society, BZ’s correct name, a not-for profit organization, is to inspire conservation leadership by connecting people with wildlife and nature. Brookfield Zoo has contributed millions of dollars for conservation, research and educational programs that have helped to save endangered and threatened animals, elephants included. Brookfield Zoo should NOT send Christy away. She is right where she needs to be, and she is with the best people to take care of her, her devoted keepers. Good job BZ!!!!!

The Brookfield Zoo provides much more excellent care than the elephant sanctuary. I’ll set a possible example for you “woodpeckers” that think the elephant sanctuary is the right thing. If an elephant and a dog were bleeding and dying in their habitat, most likely the sancutary would care more about the dog than the elephant. I’ve seen the small amount of space in the “barns” and have looked at the rigorous standards they have not met. Something similar just happened there. Bella, a dog, and Tarra, an Asian elephant, were both minorly bleeding, and the staff cared more about Bella than Tarra, as they took Bella to the care barn straight away then came back for Tarra with no more equipment than they came with. So you see, The Elephant Sanctuary is not the place for Joyce.

Think of all of the jobs as sort of like a food chain. Zoos, aquaria, etc. are at the bottom. It’s like the animal food chain: one animal goes extinct, all above it go extinct. If you close and condemn zoos, many good people would be out of jobs. They’d have no money. What’s even worse, they couldn’t buy things at the store. So stores go out of business, then the factories who supply the stores go out of business, and next thing you know, everything will collapse. I hoope you will look into this, animal activist groups, namely the IDA. The things that IDA are preaching us are just a bunch of garbage. Really, the sanctuaries don’t care about the actual living, breathing animal. They just care about how pretty their habitat looks. And, the overnight “barns” have so little space and are made entirely out of metal and concrete. So, all elephants at PAWS and TES or any animal at PAWS should be sent to zoos. And look at this: sanctuaries don’t have 24 hour veterinary care. All zoos accredited by the AZA have 24 hour care. The “handlers” at sanctuaries force the elephants to come using an ATV. Wrong. Period.