Why are there no elephants at the Toronto zoo?

In October 2011, after a spate of elephant deaths and harsh criticism from a U.S.-based animal-rights group, city council voted 31 to 4 to send the Toronto Zoo's three remaining African elephants — Thika, Toka and Iringa — to the Performing Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) sanctuary in San Andreas, Calif.



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In October 2011, after a spate of elephant deaths and harsh criticism from a U.S.-based animal-rights group, city council voted 31 to 4 to send the Toronto Zoo's three remaining African elephants — Thika, Toka and Iringa — to the Performing Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) sanctuary in San Andreas, Calif.

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The Toronto Zoo is proud of the work and care its Keepers and staff provide to its animals, including the elephants. The Zoo is an important, accredited home for its animals and an important learning centre.

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Elephants held at the Monterey Zoo have died under questionable circumstances, including one who was euthanized after being unable to stand due to a painful joint condition and another whose death was hidden from the public but whose necropsy revealed that she had ingested a large amount of sand that blocked and ...

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Due to their physical size, complex social needs, high level of intelligence, large home ranges, diverse diet and large behavioural repertoire, the full welfare needs of elephants cannot be met in captivity. A life in captivity for elephants is inherently cruel and leads to suffering throughout their long lives.

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It wasn't natural for Winky and Wanda to endure the frigid Michigan winters at the zoo. Despite the zoo's best efforts, both elephants suffered from arthritis. They needed freedom. In 2005, after over a decade of living at the zoo, The Detroit Zoo let Winky and Wanda go.

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However, due to a lack of funding and pressures from animal rights activists, it was decided that the elephants needed to be moved to new locations after all. The zoo retracted its decision to improve the enclosures in 2006, and it was apparent that the elephant exhibit would be closed for good.

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After 25 years at Lion Country Safari, the peaceful pachyderms are moving to other elephant-friendly places in the United States.

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In recent years, some larger zoos such as the Toronto Zoo and San Francisco Zoo have phased out their elephant programs, sending their aging animals to sanctuaries in the United States that have far more space.

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Canada has four zoos with elephants, including African Lion Safari in Ontario; Edmonton Valley Zoo in Alberta; and Parc Safari and Granby Zoo in Quebec. All four are using bullhooks in free contact, meaning elephant keepers manage elephants inside their enclosures instead of behind a protective barrier.

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Ostrich are not viewable. Moose are not viewable. Snow Leopards are not viewable. Steller's sea eagles are temporarily relocated and now on display in the Canadian Domain.

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Staff at the Toronto Zoo are “emotionally processing” the death of Mila, a 2-year-old Amur tiger born at the facility, who died last week in a “freak accident” involving anesthesia at its new home at a U.S. zoo.

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In 2006, the Bronx Zoo announced no further elephants would be acquired, a measure taken by other zoos after calls from the public and animal experts stated that elephants do not belong in captivity thus affecting their natural behaviors as social creatures.

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Some information may no longer be current. Tina, the Asian elephant with the ailing feet, has died in Tennessee. The 34-year-old pachyderm was transferred last August to the Elephant Sanctuary at Hohenwald, about 100 kilometres southwest of Nashville.

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After a couple of notable deaths, the San Francisco Zoo removed the last of its elephants in 2005. The city's Board of Supervisors mandated the zoo couldn't get another pachyderm unless it was provided with 15 acres of roaming space.

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Officials made the decision to “humanely” euthanize the 37-year-old elephant. There were no signs that Penny was ailing, according to zoo officials. That was not the case in December of 2016, when another of the zoo's elephants that was suffering from medical issues was euthanized, The State reported.

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