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Do Elephants Belong In Zoos? The Group That Wants the Woodland Park Zoo Elephants Freed

BY Rachel Belle  on January 23, 2013 @ 5:54 pm (Updated: 11:01 am - 1/28/13 )

Elephant_Watoto_High_Res_Vertical_Ryan_Hawk.jpg
Watoto the 44 year old elephant, at Woodland Park Zoo. Photo by Ryan Hawk.
When I arrived at Woodland Park Zoo this morning, it was bath time for Watoto, Bamboo and Chai. Those are the zoo's three elephants, all females, ages 44, 46 and 34, respectively. They've all lived at the Seattle zoo since they were one year old. After a life spent entertaining and educating at the zoo, a group called Friends of Woodland Park Zoo Elephants wants the elephants set free.

"Science has shown now that elephants are not good candidates for captivity," says Lisa Kane, an elephant advocate who collaborates with Friends of Woodland Park Zoo Elephants. "Zoos all sit on small footprints. Even if you gave over the entire Woodland Park Zoo to elephants, and I think it's only 40, 50, 60 acres, that would still be an incredibly small space."

Lisa says when the elephants aren't outside entertaining zoo patrons, they're kept alone, in a characterless barn the size of a large garage.

"There's not much for them to do. From the elephant's point of view, they've stepped out of the barn every single day for 25 years and looked at the same site line. The exact same trees. The exact same everything. There's no change, there's no variety, there's no novelty. These are creatures with enormous brains. It's hard for me even to fathom the tedium of the lives they lead at Woodland Park Zoo."

Woodland Park Zoo animal curator Martin Ramirez says the issues of space are merely an opinion.

"Our exhibit is about a quarter mile in length. They could walk that and often do. I saw a study a few years ago where they put GPS collars on wild elephants. When food was scarce, elephants traveled 50, 60, 70 miles a day. When food was readily available, they didn't go very far. That points to me, it is about resources and where their food is."

Lisa says that one of the elephants doesn't get along with the others, so she's forced to spend a lot of time alone, which is really depressing for an elephant.

"They've given up their families which mean more to elephants than human families. Female elephants never leave their mothers. This was research done by Iain Douglas-Hamilton in northern Kenya. I think it's hard for us to imagine the suffering we've inflicted on them."

Martin responds:

"We have one elephant who actually kind of prefers to be on her own and isn't as bonded with the African elephant as the others are. Rather than force the issue with them, we do give them their space. They do have plenty of opportunities to interact with each other. The only thing we don't give them is physical time together. For the most part, they are very much in contact with each other."

In order to create a natural family, the zoo has artificially inseminated Chai over 50 times, according to Friends of Woodland Park Zoo Elephants who site vet records. They say it was an invasive and cruel procedure.

"We're not going to going to force these animals to do anything they want to do," said Martin. "So the fact that Chai was willing to go into the space and do these artificial inseminations; it was a very positive experience for her."

This is a tough story. It's sort of a "He said, she said" situation. Hearing Lisa's side tugs on emotions. Knowing that elephants are highly intelligent animals and seeing the size and sparseness of the barn this morning, and the space the elephants have to move in, it's hard not to take her side.

She wants these elephants transferred to one of two United States sanctuaries so they can spend the rest of their lives free. She says other zoos have already taken steps to improve the quality of life for elephants.

"I think there are at least ten, or a dozen at this point, that have either closed down their elephant programs or have made public promises to do so once this last elephant dies," said Lisa. "Why can't we do that?"

But Martin argues that the elephants are treated very well and that they're a huge educational tool to teach the community about elephant conservation.

"The one thing that they don't have to experience here, at the zoo, that they would in the wild, is running for their lives. Constantly being aware of poachers. So I would say their life here is much better than in the wild."

When I stood just feet away from Chai and Watoto this morning, I was in awe of them, and was entranced by their every move. But does my excitement of standing so close to such a large, beautiful, gentle animal fairly override that animal's happiness? Are we being selfish?

"What we're looking at here is a bigger picture," said Martin. "Trying to conserve animals in the wild, trying to do whatever we can to stop poaching in the wild. I've already shown you that our animals receive excellent care. All of their needs are met."

"I like zoos, I think they are an important way for people to be linked to wildlife," said Lisa. "But there are some animals that don't flourish in zoos. When we recognize that, and there's evidence of it, then I think it's important to act on it."

Rachel Belle, Ron and Don Show Reporter
Rachel Belle is a feature contributor and personality on The Ron & Don Show on KIRO Radio (weekdays 3-7pm), and host of Ring My Belle Weekends (Saturdays at 5pm and Sundays at 3pm).
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Comments (24)


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  • teppa wrote...
    Do Elephants Belong in Zoo's?
    January 23, 2013 5:20 pm
    The answer is, NO! As progressive as we may think we are in Washington State, and don't get me wrong, I love living here... we have some serious thinking and then action to take to provide a good home for our three elephants at the Woodland Park Zoo. They do not deserve this life that is lead by humans each and everyday. They deserve to roam free, have interaction with others and live out their lives with as little contact with people as possible. I am a friend and supporter of the Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee and would love to see our girls released from this prison known as Woodland Park Zoo! It's just not fair of us humans to decide another creatures destiny or life of suffering. It's time to take action and do the RIGHT THING once and for all... no more discussion, no more debate, just do the right thing! Thank you.
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  • Hayduke wrote...
    We need to value the good of the species over the individual.
    January 23, 2013 5:51 pm
    It's triage, really. Especially when it comes to endangered animals. If the WPZ can demonstrate that the net effect of having elephants in captivity helps, rather than harms, the species, whether through breeding, education, habitat protection, etc... then that should take precedence. And let's face it, we're not gonna stop raping the rainforest; too much money too be made. We can only hope to slow it down and get decent protections for pockets here and there.

    For some species, their only hope for survival is through captive breeding. It's better that some have a life of captivity (which is typically longer lived anyway)than for the specie to cease to exist.

    As a progressive and environmentalist, this is a problem I have with alot of animal rights activists. They refuse to look at the bigger picture. Time and again I've red about how they'll protest the culling of diseased individuals, even if it means it puts an entire animal population at risk.

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  • Barb202 wrote...
    Hardly a "Progressive".. more of a "Regressive"
    January 24, 2013 12:11 pm
    Hayduke, you are still living in the middle ages if you think it's ok for elephants to be raped (artificially inseminated) and abused for stupid human entertainment. There is no educational value in looking at a bored, miserable elephant behind a fence. Most baby elephants don't survive in captivity, and adult elephants in the wild sometimes live as long as humans do, not the typical 30-40 years in captivity. Get your facts straight, so some reading, and move into the 21st century. Elephants do not belong in captivity!
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  • TheKid96 wrote...
    Getting facts straight goes BOTH ways!
    January 24, 2013 3:53 pm
    You are incredible! You tote your animal rights propoganda without looking at ANY facts yourself! To even remotely compare a reproductive procedure that the elephant goes through voluntraily to rape is INSULTING! IN-SULT-ING! Think about it! If you were "raped" in a room more than once, would you ever go back into that room? Even if they offered you money? To insinuate that zookeepers would even consider putting the animals they care for through that torture is slanderous. YOu have NO IDEA how painful being raped, emotionally, physically, or mentally, if you think ANY animal would put up with that over and over. HOw exactly are the elephants abused at the zoo compared to the treatment they would receive at an sancutary? Don't give me the crap about space. This isn't about space at the moment. YOu claim the elephants are abused at the zoo. What treatment at the sanctuary do elephants receive that would be so much better than a zoo? The elephants receive a bath every day, are fed nutritious snacks, have veterinary care, and are loved and cared for by their zookeepers. They are also loved by the public. SOME elephants CAN live up to 60-70 years, if everything goes right for them. Humans CAN live up to 100, or more, if everything goes right for them. Does that mean my grandmother didn't have a full life when she died at 86? So if an elephant lives to 54, who are you to say it didn't lead a fulfilling life? This whole space thing is a load of BS anyways. I'll believe that elephants are dying in zoos because of lack of space when someone shows me concrete evidence that ANY animal doesn't take the shortest, least energy expending route to get their food. Sharks? They eat weak or injured animals so they don't have to expend so much energy to get their food. So do all the other predators. Raccoons? That's why they raid garbage cans. Because they are capable and it's a helluva lot easier to grab trash than climb a tree looking for a nest of unattended eggs. Even humans are guilty of it. Tell me, are you going to go to the grocery store down the street or are you going to get in your car and drive an hour just to buy a quart of milk? Whatever is easier. Why would elephants be any different? If they have all the water, food and shelter provided for them in a centralized location, what reason do THEY have to keep roaming miles and miles and miles? Ugh, you animal rights folks kill me with your propoganda! It's like you don't even think for yourselves. Whatever PETA says, you just bobble your head and go along.
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  • calapete wrote...
    facts
    January 23, 2013 6:37 pm
    its not working. If Elephants had lawyers, we'd be screwed. Let em go. send them to a refuge.
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  • Zoeller wrote...
    Right or Wrong?
    January 23, 2013 6:50 pm
    Right. (And what Hayduke said.)
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  • Hayduke wrote...
    Does that mean you agree, or disagree, with me, Zoeller
    January 23, 2013 8:44 pm
    Please clarify.
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  • Zoeller wrote...
    Agree
    January 24, 2013 8:53 am
    Agree!!!!!
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  • shark75 wrote...
    Outlaw large animals in zoos
    January 23, 2013 10:03 pm
    What is large? Not sure how to define it, but elephants would definitely fall into that category...
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  • tlmbrt wrote...
    All
    January 23, 2013 10:08 pm
    you bleeding heart "animal rights activists" can kiss my behind. Get a real life.
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  • Mike in Pioneer Square wrote...
    Do Dogs Belong in Apartments?
    January 23, 2013 10:55 pm
    Dogs are outdoor creatures used to wandering a large range. Seattleites keep them imprisoned in small enclosures where they only see the same things, day after day. There's no change, there's no variety, there's no novelty. It's hard to even fathom the tedium of the lives they lead in the pitiful apartments of Seattle dog owners. Some dogs don't get along with the others, so they're forced to spend a lot of time alone, which is really depressing for a dog. (Not to mention the fact that their owners are at work or in transit 8-10 hours per day.) I think it's hard for us to imagine the suffering "pet lovers" have inflicted on these dogs. Send them all (with their owners!) to a sanctuary, Dog Island, where they can spend the rest of their lives free! (And the rest of us can be "free" of the dog owners.) And oh, leave the elephants at the zoo.
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  • mnpat wrote...
    Yeah, what Mike in Pioneer Square said.....
    January 24, 2013 7:41 am
    And it's abuse to put doll cloths on dogs and cats as well.
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  • Mike in Pioneer Square wrote...
    It's abuse to put doll clothes on dogs and cats as well
    January 24, 2013 3:43 pm
    Amen, mnpat.
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  • TheKid96 wrote...
    And birds in cages
    January 24, 2013 4:02 pm
    And leashes on dogs! Owners forcing the dogs to go where the owener wants to go. The poor dog has no choice. YOu CRATE your pet for long periods of time?!?! And you put a SADDLE and BRIDLE on a horse?!?! That's just disgusting!
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  • Citizen of Krazy Town wrote...
    If those elephant think they have it bad...
    January 23, 2013 11:15 pm
    They should see how Seattle forces the humans to live.
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  • fartforce1 wrote...
    Get rid of the elephants, now not later.
    January 24, 2013 3:14 am
    The stress captivity is breaking then down both physically and mentally. Besides, you don't need elephants to make a zoo.
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