Council demands report on elephant deaths at L.A. Zoo
After two elephants were euthanized within 12 months, the Los Angeles City Council has intervened, requesting a study to identify the causes and assess the standards for elephant management and care at the facility.
The euthanization of two elephants at the Los Angeles Zoo within one year has prompted the city council to scrutinize the zoo's practices regarding the care and management of its elephants.
The Los Angeles City Council unanimously voted on Wednesday May 15 to mandate that the L.A. Zoo conduct a study to determine the factors that led to the deaths of two Asian elephants, Shaunzi and Jewel. The report must also explain how it's caring for the two remaining elephants at the zoo, Tina and Billy.
The council has given the zoo 30 days to complete and deliver the results of this study.
Councilmembers Bob Blumenfield and Eunisses Hernandez introduced the motion after the zoo euthanized 53-year-old Shaunzi in January, just 12 months after 61-year-old Jewel was euthanized in January 2023.
“I would rather see these elephants in a sanctuary I’ve made that clear over the years, ” said Blumenfeld. “Is this in the normal range what are these issues are there things that we could have done or could be doing that being captivity doesn’t contribute to their early demise.”
The deaths sparked protests and vigils by animal activists who called for the closure of the elephant exhibit.
“I would say all of them [the elephants] died from that [a lack of space] because it accumulates over time,” Courtney Scott, Elephant Consultant for In Defense of Animals (IDA), told Los Angeles magazine.
“They have arthritis, they have joint disease, they have zoonotic behavior… there’s another study that shows they develop brain damage from lack of stimulation and space,” she added.
Awareness of the ethical issues surrounding animals in captivity has surged recently, leading to heightened criticism of orca shows, roadside zoos, and animal circuses from both animal welfare advocates and the general public.
The captivity of elephants, in particular, has drawn significant attention, with international animal welfare groups, conservationists, and government officials advocating for an end to this controversial practice.
The Los Angeles Zoo has been featured eight times on IDA’s list of North America’s ten worst zoos for elephants, with the most recent ranking naming the L.A. Zoo as the worst zoo for elephants.
The zoo took ‘first’ place, primarily for the well-publicized mistreatment of Billy, its lone Asian bull elephant. The zoo is accused of forcing Billy to endure decades of chronic stress that has reportedly sapped his body and spirit.
Alongside other animal protection groups and high-profile celebrities Cher and Lily Tomlin, IDA is calling for the Los Angeles Zoo to send Billy to a sanctuary.
Species Unite’s Fight to Free Tina
57-year-old Tina is now the only female Asian elephant at the Los Angeles Zoo after her last remaining female herd mate Shaunzi was euthanized in the first week of 2024.
Photo: L.A. Zoo
Her plight prompted Species Unite to launch a campaign calling for her freedom to a sanctuary, with 7,707 people signing a petition in support of this.
“Tina deserves to spend her remaining years in sanctuary where she will have the care, space, and companionship she needs,” reads the petition. “Elephants are socially complex animals who live in matriarchal societies and Tina is undoubtedly suffering terrible loneliness and isolation now that all her female friends have passed away. Although Tina and Billy are able to interact, Tina needs female companionship to thrive.”
Add your name to the petition here.
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