That’s bull
Add a bull elephant to the prison population of the Honolulu Zoo (“Elephant in the room,” 1/28)? It’s almost too much to bear.
Another intelligent animal placed behind moat and bars of that postage-stamp-sized enclosure? Just so we can ogle and say, “Look, baby, look!”
It was about 1970 when we were told to join the Zoo Hui and by doing so our membership would help improve the lives of the animals. Nearly 40 years later, not much has changed. The elephants are not even allowed their daily walks about the zoo in the company of their keepers. And visitors feeding carrots to them is now unthinkable. More and more confinement “for safety reasons.”
Year after year, we’re told: “Next year or in a couple of years they will have more space, a new enclosure.” And year after year no funding or no funding released. I no longer believe a word.
The Zoo Hui has a more sophisticated name now: Zoological Society. They say their aim is to educate the children. That could be done by book or film—or with stuffed animals. The dismal conditions for the animals are secondary to letting kids know the habits of animals in the wild—if they were in the wild.
Humans go mad when confined. I suppose if the bull elephants can’t be kept docile and tamed with prods and pokes, he’ll be put on valium or possibly shot out of “self-defense” like Daisy was.
Mari and Vaigai deserve better. Let them enjoy sanctuary life. They deserve to be able to move around, roam a few acres freely after being on display for so many years. Their work should be done. And keep the bull elephant in a more humane environment. Honolulu, have a heart.
Rosemarie Tucker Honolulu
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