[Fwd: DawnWatch: Los Angeles Times editorial in favor of keeping elephants in zoos 11/30/04]

[Guest guest]

-------

DawnWatch: Los Angeles Times editorial in favor of keeping

elephants in zoos 11/30/04

Resent- Tue, 30 Nov 2004 13:27:37 -0500

Resent- DawnWatch

Tue, 30 Nov 2004 10:25:30 -0800

Karen Dawn <news

<News

<DawnWatch

 

 

 

The Tuesday, November 30 Los Angeles Times, has printed a reactionary

editorial (an editorial is the official opinion of the paper) headed " Big

Problem for Zoos. " It discusses the recent elephant developments -- the

transfer of Tinkerbelle from San Francisco Zoo to sanctuary, Ruby's return

to Los Angeles, and the Detroit Zoos attempts to move its elephants to

sanctuary.

 

It ends: " If public outcry continues to pressure zoos to move animals to

sanctuaries on the assumption that the beasts are unhappy, or because their

exhibition space is too small, it could force zoos to spend untold millions

to upgrade. And that's not just for elephants; rhinos could use more room

than they're given in most American zoos. Or lions. Or just about any other

animal.

 

" Many zoos may be forced to close as a result, or may simply lose many of

their best exhibits. Animal rights activists might call this a good thing,

but there are benefits to public exhibition of elephants and other large

exotics. In the wild, elephants are in danger of extinction because they are

hunted for ivory, and zoos serve an educational purpose that helps spur

support for preservation.

 

" We're glad Ruby got to pack her trunk and come home, and hope Winky and

Wanda get some relief for their aching joints. But that's not an endorsement

of the elimination of zoos as we know them. Giving kids a chance to see

elephants matters too. "

 

Since elephants have been in zoos for hundreds of years and now, as the

editorial tells us, are in danger of extinction, obviously zoo exhibits

have not proven to be the answer to their welfare concerns. Please politely

(we don't want to make this powerful paper an enemy of the animal protection

movement!) protest the Los Angeles Times' stance against the efforts of

animal protection advocates to get elephants out of zoos.

 

You can read the whole editorial on line at:

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/editorials/la-ed-elephants30nov30,1,3517

454.story

The Los Angeles Times takes letters at: letters

 

Always include your full name, address, and daytime phone number when

sending a letter to the editor. Shorter letters are more likely to be

published.

 

For more information on the issue check out:

http://www.savewildelephants.com/

 

Yours and the animals',

Karen Dawn

 

(DawnWatch is an animal advocacy media watch that looks at animal issues in

the media and facilitates one-click responses to the relevant media outlets.

You can learn more about it, and sign up for alerts at

http://www.DawnWatch.com.

To , go to www.DawnWatch.com/.php. If you forward or

reprint DawnWatch alerts, please do so unedited -- leave DawnWatch in the

title and include this tag line.)