One of the highlights on the ABQ BioPark is the elephants. The latest loss of life of two elephants 3-year-old Thorn and 8-year-old Jazmine has prompted the “In Defense of Animals” group to title the BioPark the second-worst zoo for elephants.Captive animals campaigner with the “In Defense of Animals,” Brittany Michelson stated “Every baby elephant that has been born at that facility in the past decade has died. So that right there is a major concern.” The group says the elephant exhibit is just too small, the present roaming space is 5 acres. Michelson stated, “It’s a very small enclosure for what the elephants really truly need. Well obviously in the wild they are roaming over 100 miles a day which is not possible in a captive environment.” Bob Lee, the affiliate director on the BioPark, says the welfare of the animals is their precedence. “As we learned more about what the elephants need, habitats have been expanded and the complexity of what we offer has expanded. And that’s what the team does every day,” Lee stated. When we requested “In Defense of Animals” what the zoo may do to enhance, Michelson stated, “There’s really not much that the zoo can do there with what they have. They are very limited, they are not going to be able to provide acres and acres of space.” Lee says the virus that killed Thorn and Jazmine known as “elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus” is a recognized virus.He says sickness isn’t linked instantly to the BioPark. “EEHV is a virus that strikes around the globe in zoos, in the wild. We know so much more about it because of the work that has been done here and we’re committed to continuing to do that,” Lee stated.Lee says the herpes virus lives inside all elephants however primarily impacts younger elephants. Getting criticism from animal rights teams is one thing they’re aware of. “This is a very common tactic of this group with this marketing campaign to use the tragedy to promote their ideals which is to shut down zoos and aquariums,” Lee stated.Still, the group is asking on all zoos to launch their elephants to accredited sanctuaries and shut elephant displays.
One of the highlights on the ABQ BioPark is the elephants.
The latest loss of life of two elephants 3-year-old Thorn and 8-year-old Jazmine has prompted the “In Defense of Animals” group to title the BioPark the second-worst zoo for elephants.
Captive animals campaigner with the “In Defense of Animals,” Brittany Michelson stated “Every baby elephant that has been born at that facility in the past decade has died. So that right there is a major concern.”
The group says the elephant exhibit is just too small, the present roaming space is 5 acres.
Michelson stated, “It’s a very small enclosure for what the elephants really truly need. Well obviously in the wild they are roaming over 100 miles a day which is not possible in a captive environment.”
Bob Lee, the affiliate director on the BioPark, says the welfare of the animals is their precedence.
“As we learned more about what the elephants need, habitats have been expanded and the complexity of what we offer has expanded. And that’s what the team does every day,” Lee stated.
When we requested “In Defense of Animals” what the zoo may do to enhance, Michelson stated, “There’s really not much that the zoo can do there with what they have. They are very limited, they are not going to be able to provide acres and acres of space.”
Lee says the virus that killed Thorn and Jazmine known as “elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus” is a recognized virus.
He says sickness isn’t linked instantly to the BioPark.
“EEHV is a virus that strikes around the globe in zoos, in the wild. We know so much more about it because of the work that has been done here and we’re committed to continuing to do that,” Lee stated.
Lee says the herpes virus lives inside all elephants however primarily impacts younger elephants.
Getting criticism from animal rights teams is one thing they’re aware of.
“This is a very common tactic of this group with this marketing campaign to use the tragedy to promote their ideals which is to shut down zoos and aquariums,” Lee stated.
Still, the group is asking on all zoos to launch their elephants to accredited sanctuaries and shut elephant displays.