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Free Lucky From the San Antonio Zoo!On November 2, 2007, an African elephant named Alport died of undetermined causes at the San Antonio Zoo, leaving Lucky, an Asian elephant, all alone. Lucky was captured in the wilds of Thailand as a baby and transferred to the San Antonio Zoo in the spring of 1962. She has endured decades of captivity in a cramped, barren zoo enclosure for the entertainment of zoo visitors and now deserves a dignified retirement in an environment that more closely resembles life in the wild. Elephants are highly social animals who live in matriarchal herds, protect one another, forage for fresh vegetation, play, bathe in rivers, and share mothering responsibilities for the herds' babies. Their ability to feel pain—as well as sorrow, joy, and happiness—rivals our own. In the wild, elephants walk many miles and are active for 18 hours each day. Because of space limitations, zoos—no matter how well intentioned they may be—simply cannot provide for elephants' physical and social needs. Zoos' lack of space creates health problems in elephants, such as arthritis, foot and joint diseases, and psychological distress (as is evidenced by repetitive swaying, head-bobbing, and pacing). In contrast, The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee can offer Lucky hundreds of acres of natural habitat to roam, ponds to bathe in, fresh vegetation and foraging opportunities, and the company of many other elephants. Not only would Lucky's social needs be addressed, the sanctuary environment has also proved to be therapeutic to ailing elephants. What You Can Do Steve McCusker, Director Please also contact the mayor of San Antonio and ask him to encourage the zoo to transfer Lucky to The Elephant Sanctuary immediately and permanently close San Antonio's elephant exhibit: |
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