Latest news with #ElephantsofAsia
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
L.A. Zoo Elephants Billy and Tina Moved to Tulsa Zoo
Elephants Billy, 40, and Tina, 59, have been relocated from the Los Angeles Zoo to the Tulsa Zoo in Oklahoma, as confirmed by zoo officials on Wednesday morning. This move follows the Zoo's April 22 announcement to transfer its two remaining Asian elephants to Tulsa's newly expanded Elephant Experience and Tuesday, the elephants' enclosures at the LA Zoo appeared empty, prompting speculation from zoo visitors that the animals had been moved overnight without public notice. The decision to relocate was made to allow the elephants to live in a more spacious environment. The Tulsa Zoo, their new home, includes a 17-acre area with a 36,650-square-foot elephant barn and a 10-plus-acre wooded elephant preserve. This facility is already home to five Asian elephants, and the addition of Billy and Tina allows them to join a larger herd. Animal rights groups have long pushed for the elephants to be moved from LA to a location with more space. However, some critics argue that the Tulsa Zoo does not qualify as a true sanctuary.L.A. City Councilmember Bob Blumenfield, a vocal advocate for the elephants, filed a City Council motion last month seeking to pause the animals' relocation until council members could review the possibility of sending them to a sanctuary. He told the LA Times on Tuesday that the "quick turnaround" for the elephants "does make you wonder if folks are trying to get this done quickly to avoid further scrutiny.""That speaks volumes that it's obviously not the right thing," said Blumenfield. The Los Angeles Zoo has stated that it will pause its elephant program and reimagine the Elephants of Asia exhibit for other suitable species and programming.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
LA Zoo's last remaining Asian elephants to be relocated to Oklahoma
The Brief The LA Zoo's last remaining elephants will be relocated to the Tulsa Zoo. The LA Zoo will also pause its elephant program for the immediate future. Zoo officials said they have been considering these changes for the past few years. LOS ANGELES - The Los Angeles Zoo will be relocating its two remaining Asian elephants to Tulsa, Oklahoma, the zoo announced Tuesday. What we know Billy and Tina will soon be moved to the newly expanded Elephant Experience and Preserve at the Tulsa Zoo. According to the zoo, their decision was made with Billy and Tina's well-being their top priority. "The decision is driven by the L.A. Zoo's unwavering commitment to the health and wellbeing of all the animals in its care. Following the move, the Zoo will pause its elephant program for the immediate future. The Zoo will continue to support Asian elephant conservation programs and the Elephants of Asia exhibit will be reimagined for other suitable species and programming," the zoo said in a statement. Zoo officials said for the past few years they have been considering relocating the elephants and pausing the program. The zoo lost two elephants recently, Jewel (61) in 2023 and Shaunzi (53) in 2024. Officials said both elephants were in declining health due to issues "unrelated to the Zoo's enclosure or care and were ultimately euthanized due to age-related health issues." The zoo said moving Billy and Tina to Tulsa will allow them to receive exceptional care and integrate with a larger herd. What we don't know It's unclear when Billy and Tina will be moved, as no date was released. What's next The Tulsa Zoo recently expanded their elephant program and is home to five Asian elephants. The elephant preserve is currently under construction, but it includes a 36,650-sqft state-of-the-art elephant barn and incorporates a 10-plus acre wooded area.
CBS News
23-04-2025
- General
- CBS News
LA Zoo relocating its last two Asian elephants to animal preserve at zoo in Oklahoma
The Los Angeles Zoo announced that they will relocate their last two Asian elephants to a new preserve at the Tulsa Zoo in Oklahoma. Billy and Tina, 40 and 59, will be moved to the Elephant Experience and Preserve in Tulsa, according to zoo officials. "This decision was made with the care and wellbeing of Billy and Tina as the number one priority and will afford them the opportunity to live among other elephants," said a statement from the LA Zoo. They say that the decision was made after evaluating their current elephant exhibit since the deaths of two other elephants in recent years, even though they were both in "declining health due to issues unrelated to the Zoo's enclosure." Jewel, a 61-year-old female, died in 2023 and Shaunzi, a 53-year-old female, died the following year. Both deaths were met by protests outside of the zoo from animal right activists calling for the remaining elephants' release due to "unnatural and neglectful conditions and confinement," demonstrators said at the time. "Following the move, the Zoo will pause its elephant program for the immediate future," officials said. "The Zoo will continue to support Asian elephant conservation programs and the Elephants of Asia exhibit will be reimagined for other suitable species and programming." Currently, the facility at the Tulsa Zoo is home to five Asian elephants. It covers 17 acres of land, including a wooded elephant preserve and a 36,000+ square-foot elephant barn. "There is still time to see Billy and Tina before they depart," the release said. "A date for the move has not yet been determined." Zoo officials made note that the decision has been under consideration for an extended period of time and has no relation to Mayor Karen Bass' city budget proposal made on Monday, which included 1,600 potential layoffs for city employees. They reached their conclusion with help from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and their Elephant Species Survival Plan, as well as the Taxon Advisory Group. There is no timetable for when or if elephants will return to the LA Zoo, as officials say that they would first need to meet the social and gender requirements outlined in AZA's Accreditation Standards, something made even more difficult due to the limited availability of Asian elephants.
