Retire Tina the LA Zoo Elephant to Sanctuary

57-year-old Tina is now the only female Asian elephant at the Los Angeles Zoo after her last remaining female heard mate Shaunzi was euthanized in the first week of 2024. The death of Shaunzi comes less than a year after the death of another elderly female elephant at the L.A. Zoo, Jewel, who had been Tina’s companion for nearly her entire life in captivity.

Tina was born in the wild in 1966 and was captured at just a year old. Before arriving at the L.A. Zoo Tina and her friend Jewel lived together for over 30 years and were used as circus elephants where they suffered physical abuse, neglect, and inadequate veterinary care. The two friends were confiscated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 2009 and after a year of rehabilitation they were relocated to the L.A. Zoo.  

Unfortunately for these two survivors the move was not the happy ending they deserved as the Los Angeles Zoo has been featured 8 times on In Defense of Animals’ list of North America’s 10 worst zoos for elephants, with the most recent ranking naming the L.A. Zoo as the #1 worst zoo for elephants.

For years campaigners have been fighting to free Billy the lone bull elephant at the L.A. Zoo who has suffered a lifetime of torturous isolation and violating breeding tactics. Thanks to this ongoing campaign Billy’s story is well known but now Tina, as the last remaining female elephant at the zoo, needs just as much attention so that she doesn’t also pass away alone and forgotten at North America’s worst zoo for elephants.

Tina deserves to spend her remaining years in sanctuary where she will have the care, space, and companionship she needs. 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.  

A growing number of zoos across the country have made the ethical decision to send elderly elephants to sanctuaries and now the Los Angeles Zoo must make the same compassionate choice. Despite Tina’s advanced age she could still live many happy years in sanctuary if she is given the chance. One elderly female elephant Shirley, who was sent to the Tennessee Elephant Sanctuary in her early fifties lived to be 72 years old!

The L.A. Zoo has proven time and again that they do not care about the welfare of their elephants, and they will likely try and acquire new female elephants rather than allow Tina her long overdue freedom. We cannot let that happen.

Please join Species Unite in demanding that the L.A. Zoo do the right thing and send Tina to sanctuary so that she can live out her golden years in peace and freedom surrounded by other members of her species.