What happened to the two elephants at the Los Angeles Zoo? According to Tulsa Zoo officials, Billy and Tina made it to their new home.
Zoo officials confirmed the move in a statement published Wednesday morning, noting that it was a 26-hour journey for the elephants that included "breaks every couple of hours for hay, cantaloupe, Romaine and water."
"Billy and Tina will spend the next several weeks building bonds with their new care team and meeting our herd after the standard quarantine period," the statement continued.
Officials at the Los Angeles Zoo also released a statement, adding that the "decision was made with the care and wellbeing of Billy and Tina as the number one priority."
"The Zoo evaluated all available options including AZA accredited sanctuaries. Mayor Bass inquired about moving the elephants to a sanctuary — the Zoo worked to ensure that all viable options had been considered during the course of the Zoo’s comprehensive evaluation," the statement continued. "The decision to move the elephants to the Tulsa Zoo was made with the health and well-being of the individual elephants as the top priority and at the recommendation of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and its Elephant Species Survival Plan (SSP) which advises on the management of the entire population of elephants in AZA-accredited institutions as a single herd."
According to a report by TMZ, Billy and Tina were taken away from the zoo around 1:30 a.m. Tuesday. The outlet cited sources connected to the zoo that said the elephants were headed to the Tulsa Zoo.
Some animal advocates, however, say they were told Billy and Tina were still at the zoo.
Cory Mack with Los Angeles for Animals told KNX News’ Jon Baird she spoke with the zoo about Billy and Tina’s whereabouts.
“We called the zoo repeatedly yesterday asking if we could come see the elephants before they left, and they said, ‘yes, come down today. They're here today,” she said.
Sandra Bell, a member of Los Angeles for Animals, told KNX News’ Jon Baird zoo officials also told her that the animals were there.
“Everybody that called in here asking was told that the elephants were still here, but that they didn't know for how long,” she said. “We're not sure, but we're trying to hope and pray that they are still here.”
In an emailed statement, In Defense of Animals called the move "a shameless betrayal of the public trust — and of the elephants themselves."
“We are devastated that Billy and Tina's chance to heal in a sanctuary after years of zoo abuse has been snatched away, condemning them to die in Tulsa Zoo’s overcrowded exhibit,” said Marilyn Kroplick, M.D., President and CEO of In Defense of Animals. “All zoos cause elephants to suffer brain damage and early death. It’s time for every zoo still exhibiting elephants to send them to true sanctuaries to recover and stop breeding more who will only die in captivity.”
On April 22, zoo officials announced that Billy and Tina would be relocated to the Tulsa Zoo. But on May 6, L.A. Councilmember Bob Blumenfield filed a motion asking for the L.A. Zoo to delay relocation for Billy and Tina so that officials could look into more options, including an animal sanctuary.
Blumenfield told KNX News' Craig Fiegener the elephants' move into Tulsa is "very frustrating and disappointing."
“I was hoping we could actually have a public vetting the way the motion was describing,” he said. “If it's the right decision, then people should be proud about it and be able to do it not in the dead of night, but in public. So, it speaks volumes about doing it in this manner, allegedly in the middle of the night and without public hearing after I was told it wasn't gonna be imminent. That speaks volumes.”
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A lawsuit was filed against Zoo Director and CEO Denise Verret over plans to transfer the two elephants to the Tulsa Zoo rather than an animal sanctuary.
On May 15, a judge declined the restraining order and said that City Council would be best suited to handle the issue.
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