Schobert's View

Summary of "Let the Zoo's Elephants Go"

     Les Schobert's article if focused around the lack of change in the care that Elephants receive while in captivity in our zoos. Schobert points out that these animals are getting less than acceptable treatment and respect by these institutions. 

     The author claims that zoos need to give the elephants larger habitats in order to promote longevity/quality of life, a better social life for the animals, and to prevent premature euthanization of these beautiful creatures.

photo from http://opencage.info/pics/large_3845.asp
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5/deed.en

Response

     My first thought in response to this article is "AGREED!". It spoke to me and pulled at my heart as I remembered viewing these incredible beings at the Oregon Zoo. The elephants that occupy this local zoo are the Asian Elephant, one of the smaller species on our planet. Even then I felt sorrow while watching them mope about the small concrete enclosure. It seemed obviously clear to me, an average zoo goer, that this was an inappropriate amount of space for such large animals.

     Doing a small inquiry on the range that these animals cover in the wild revealed that they generally occupy anywhere from 11-231 square miles depending on the density of the environment (From the Oregon Zoo's own website). Schobert argues that, although these animals may get quality attention and nutrition from the staff , the elephants will suffer until they are put into bigger habitats such as large sanctuaries found in California. This is true, he convinces me that the living situation alone is harmful the them because of the physical ailments such as arthritis and/or foot problems. Schobert's credibility is backed by his 30 years of experience working in zoos.

     While viewing the Oregon's zoos website I did notice an interesting statement on the Asian elephant discovery page:     Thanks to funding from the bond passed by voters in 2008, an expanded Asian elephant habitat will support a richer social and family life for the zoo's elephants. The much larger exhibit will offer a variety of terrain, scratching surfaces, elephant controlled showers, pools for bathing and mud wallows to cool and protect skin.

      This makes me wonder? Is this the result of Schobert's article? Written in 2005. That would be incredible, he is very passionate about this article and I would assume this stems from the experience working around these animals. They are incredibly smart, social animals with their herd and with hauman interaction. I cannot imagine growing attached to them and continue on knowing that they need more, A LOT more. I hope by writing this article and bringing the seriousness of the matter out into the open, that he has furthered the progress in providing these animals adequate living space. So that they can live the long, happy, pain free lives that they deserve.