Oregon Zoo - one of the worst 10 zoos in the country for elephants.
Oregon Zoo (Portland, Ore.) - Too little too late. The Oregon Zoo has long touted its “successful” elephant breeding program, though it fails to mention that more than half of the calves born did not survive to adulthood, young calves were cruelly separated from their mothers when relocated to other facilities (including circuses), and breeding-age females have been disabled by foot disease and arthritis, with many dying during their prime. Now that Rose-Tu is pregnant and a new breeding program appears to be starting, the question is: Where will the Zoo put more elephants, especially if the offspring are hard-to-keep males? Its answer is to renovate the existing exhibit, giving its six elephants (and one on the way) a measly three-acres, which will necessarily be divided into at least four yards. Considering that elephants are earth’s largest land mammal and need space to thrive, you would think the Zoo could do better. It can. Although the current plan is too little too late for its elephants, Oregon Zoo could take the lead and create a much larger, off-site natural refuge that would far better suit the Zoo’s elephants by providing the space and natural conditions they need to thrive. The Oregon Zoo makes the list for the second consecutive year.
admin :: Feb.16.2008 :: Uncategorized :: No Comments »