Toka and Iringa, orphaned in Mozambique after a government organized cull of herds, arrived at the Toronto Zoo in 1974 aged 4 and 5.
Photo Credit: CBC

Toronto’s elephants finally heading to California sanctuary

After a long-drawn out controversy over several years, the Toronto Zoo’s three remaining elephants will be heading to the PAWS (Performing Animal Welfare Society) elephant sanctuary in California.

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Thika was born at the Toronto Zoo in 1980 © Pat Hewitt-Canadian Press

The zoo had come under increasing fire from animal rights groups in the past few years saying the elephant enclosure at the Toronto zoo, and the Canadian climate, was unsuited to elephants, especially the 40 square metre pen, where Thika, Toka and Iringa spend most of the winter, although the summer paddock at only about a hectare was equally criticized.

Critics of the Toronto zoo note that seven elephants had died at the there since 1984, and most of them were under 40 years old, which is about middle age for an elephant.

Controversy over the elephants’ fate cost the zoo its accreditation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) this spring for the first time in 30 years.  Officials said however the key issue in that decision was governance and had nothing to do with its care of animals

There has been a great deal of sometimes contentious debate not only about whether the elephants should stay in Toronto or head south, but if they were to go to be sent to the US, whether they would go to an AZA approved zoo, or to a sanctuary in Tennessee, or the PAWS sanctuary in California.  

At one point, noted American TV personality and animal rights activist, Bob Barker had promised to pay $880,000 for a plane to fly the elephants to their new home.

Toronto city council had eventually voted to send the three female African elephants, aged between 33 to 43, to the PAWS site.

It was also decided not to fly them, but rather transport them by truck, about a 50 hour journey to their new home near Sacremento.

They will be accompanied by two veterinarians and six handlers.

Transport related training for the handlers and the elephants has begun, and as the required permits are obtained, it’s expected they will be moved sometime after Thanksgiving, the long weekend of October 12-14.

Animal rights groups have also been targeting the Edmonton Valley Zoo in Alberta. Lucy a 38-year-old Asian elephant has a number of health problems. A spokeswoman for city council said the Toronto decision will have no bearing on what Edmonton will do regarding Lucy. The city contends that despite ailments, Lucy is being well cared for.

Recently the Calgary zoo, also in Alberta, decided to move its four elephants, three females and one male, to locations in the US. That move will take place sometime in the spring of 2014

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