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Zoo Authors Stand Up For Billy the ElephantAsk Los Angeles City Council to play leading role in preserving Asian elephants(JANUARY 26, 2009) Not only should Billy the elephant stay at the Los Angeles Zoo, but he should get the new home and family he deserves, say two zoo experts. In a controversial decision, the Los Angeles City Council halted work on Pachyderm Forest, a state of the art elephant habitat which is about one third complete, citing budgetary concerns. The new habitat would allow the zoo’s bachelor bull elephant, Billy, to have a family and broaden the gene pool for his endangered species. Allen W. Nyhuis and Jon Wassner, authors of “America’s Best Zoos,” voiced their opposition to the Council’s move in an open letter in advance of the Council’s January 28th meeting to reconsider their decision. “We have seen all of America’s very best elephant exhibits, including the spacious natural habitats for elephants at the Oakland Zoo, Nashville Zoo, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, San Diego Wild Animal Park, and our own hometown Indianapolis Zoo,” said Nyhuis. “We believe that, when [Pachyderm Forest] is completed, it will rank among the very best – if not the best – elephant exhibits in the nation, both for zoo visitors and especially for the elephant residents.” “From my experience, I can say without question that elephants thrive in zoos and, by sheer awe, provide the most intimate connection between guests and zoo animals,” added Wassner, who has worked in three zoos, including working with African elephants. “The new Pachyderm Forest exhibit will have the best features from a compilation of elephant care knowledge gained at zoos over the last 30 years, which will ensure the physical, social, and psychological needs of elephants are met or exceeded.” Rather than exile Billy to a distant sanctuary, where small groups of visitors are charged $200 apiece or more to see the elephants, Nyhuis and Wassner maintain that Billy will have a far better quality of life in the Zoo’s new habitat, where he can enjoy family life, be protected by the high standards of care mandated by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, and serve as an educator in the ongoing struggle to preserve wild elephants for future generations. The entire text of Nyhuis and Wassner’s open letter has been posted at: http://www.intrepidtraveler.com/media/zooletter.html “America’s Best Zoos: A Travel Guide for Fans and Families” by Allen W. Nyhuis and Jon Wassner is published by The Intrepid Traveler. For more information, contact Sarah Pappanikou at 203-469-0214 or sarah@intrepidtraveler.com
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