Friends of Woodland Park Zoo Elephants

Watoto

May 5, 2008 – Alyne Fortgang, Co-founder of Friends of Woodland Park Zoo Elephants (FOWPZE) was told by a zoo employee in management, who name is being withheld for legal purposes, that Watoto, the African elephant housed at WPZ, has herpes and is being treated with huge doses of Famciclovir. Famciclovir is used to treat herpes virus.

Hansa died from herpes on June 8, 2007. Woodland Park Zoo has stated that very little is known about the herpes disease. Dr. Laura Richman, who discovered the herpes strain that killed Hansa is of the world’s leading expert on herpes viruses. “Hansa would have gotten it from another elephant,” Richman said. “Hansa had not left Woodland Park Zoo since she was born, which suggests the virus was passed from one of the zoo’s other elephants, either her mother, Chai, or Watoto or Bamboo.”

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Activists are calling for the removal of an elephant from the Dallas Zoo. Jenny, a 31-year-old African elephant, began displaying “self-mutilating behaviors” and “isolation depression” after her last companion, Vasha, was shipped away to another zoo. Jenny’s other elephant companion, KeKe, recently died of heart failure, leaving Jenny as a lone elephant at the zoo. Female elephants in the wild maintain life-long family bonds with the elephants in their herd. Unlike AZA-accredited zoos, elephant sanctuaries keep their elephants for life.

Read the full story on QuickDFW.com:
Dallas Zoo elephant adjusts to life on her own after KeKe’s death

The Elephant-Sized Comedy Gala and Auction was an elephant-sized success! A round of applause for Cathy Sorbo,
a veteran performer with over 25 years experience; fully potty-trained, Seattle P-I Columnist, and Rat City Roller Girls announcer. Now she can add elephants to her resume!

Our headliner: Dwight Slade is an internationally-known stand-up star with 1,341 myspace friends. Hand picked opener for Jerry Seinfeld and Jay Leno. We had to peel people off the floor. He was great!

Special Thanks to:
Julie Mains, Dorothy Pierce, Kat and the entire staff at the Mainstage Comedy and Music Club. A deep curtsy for Galen Hazelhofer who donated her time and talent as our designer for all the event printed matter, t-shirts, and beyond! Lynne Madrigal, owner of Lap of Luxury Professional Cat Care. Heather Nelson Inkblot Screen Printing for our super t-shirts. Joan Delehanty for her delicious goodies. Lynda McCormick for inspirational tips. Academy Press and Liberty Bell Press. Diamond Parking. Michael Crouch – ya gotta have a GREAT numbers guy. Local entertainers Derek Sheen, Lukas Seely, Julie Cascioppo and Michelle Francis. Frank Blau, our event photographer, the Chickalatte girls, and all the volunteers – we couldn’t do it without you. Thank you!

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