USDA Fines Syracuse Zoo for Baby Elephant’s Death

The Rosamond Gifford Zoo in Syracuse, New York, faces two charges of violating the federal Animal Welfare Act and a $10,765 fine after USDA inspectors determined that improper handling led to the death of 4-day-old Asian elephant Kedar. Baby Kedar dove into a deep pool of water from which zookeepers had trouble removing him and died when his intestinal tract became twisted after he took in too much air and water.

Half the elephants born at the zoo since 1990 have died, including 3-year-old Preya from the elephant herpes virus. The Rosamond Gifford Zoo keeps breeding elephants because babies draw in visitors and boost profits—even though every birth carries the risk of the herpes-carrying herd passing on the disease to the vulnerable baby, and there is no chance of the elephant ever being released to the wild.

Elephants born at the zoo face not only the threat of disease, but also the bite of Syracuse’s harsh winters and of the bullhook: The Rosamond Gifford Zoo still practices an outdated, circus-style form of elephant management that consists of dominance and the imposition of fear, both of which are established by the barbaric use of bullhooks.

PETA is calling on the zoo to cancel its breeding program, close its exhibit, and send the animals to an elephant sanctuary. The Detroit Zoo, which experiences weather that is similar to Syracuse’s, made the decision in 2004 to send its elephants to a warm-climate sanctuary. Please join us in asking the Rosamond Gifford Zoo to follow Detroit’s compassionate example:

Anne Baker, Director
Rosamond Gifford Zoo at Burnet Park
1 Conservation Pl.
Syracuse, NY 13204
315-435-8511
315-435-8517 (fax)
rgzoo@ongov.net