The WPZ elephants get very little time outdoors

Throughout most of the year, the elephants get very little outdoor time. During the colder weather months, the elephants may spend as little as 7 – 8 hours outside. During the 16 – 17 hours they are locked in the barn, Watoto is usually the one in solitary confinement in the shower room which measures 23′ X 23′. Chai and Bamboo have about 23′ X 25′. Elephants only sleep for about 4 hours per night, and would naturally spend their waking hours roaming large areas of land.

Elephants at The Elephant Sanctuary are never confined inside. While heated barns are available to them, they are always free to roam the large, forested habitat whenever they want to. If they are in need of food or veterinary care, it will be brought to them wherever they are.

The WPZ elephant habitat is much too small

Woodland Park Zoo claims that its elephants have access to 1 acre of space, already an unnaturally small enclosure for 3 large roaming animals to share. But it is really much less than 1 acre. The elephants do not get along, so at any given time, 2 elephants have one part of the yard while the 3rd has another. This 1 acre also includes areas that are not accessible to the elephants at all.

The Elephant Sanctuary has 3 habitats which range from 300 acres to 2200 acres in a humid subtropical climate. The elephants have access to forests, swimming holes, a 25 acre lake, hills, and fresh vegetation, much like they would have in the wild. The location is in a sub-tropical  area  with lush vegetation specifically chosen to  mimic the natural foraging grounds of wild elephants.

The WPZ elephants endure constant highway noise

Running along side Woodland Park Zoo is Highway 99 (aka Aurora Blvd.), a heavily used route through Seattle. While we may not notice the noise, elephants are highly attuned to the noise and seismic vibrations of highways. Elephants in the wild can communicate with each other from miles away by picking up vibrations through their sensitive feet.

The WPZ elephants exhibit abnormal, unhealthy behavior

Bamboo, Chai, and Watoto often display what is known as repetitive stereotypic behavior. When Bamboo is bored or under stress, she paces, shakes her head, and sways. She exhibited this behavior almost constantly during her nine month stay at PDZA, as shown in our video footage.  Chai engages in bobbing her head while pacing on her front feet.  Watoto paces in semi circles and sways.  They do it at all times of the day, inside and outside.  Experts have determined this is due to stress and boredom.

Zoo officials will tell you that it is nothing more than a bad habit, similar to a child sucking her thumb. This is not true. Wild elephants never exhibit such behavior. It is pervasive in abusive and confining environments such as circuses and small habitat zoos.

WPZ repeatedly disturbs elephant herds

AZA accredited zoos are forced to break apart elephant families and ship elephants to other zoos if the AZA demands it. In accordance with the strict TAOS standards of elephant care, The Elephant Sanctuary takes in elephants for life. Furthermore, sanctuaries do not participate in the aggressive breeding program of the AZA that is responsible for the common upheaval of elephants from their zoo herds.

Woodland Park Zoo has already shipped off one elephant, Sri, who had spent 21 years at the zoo. Chai was shipped to Dickerson Park Zoo temporarily as part of a breeding program, beaten with ax handles (for which that zoo was fined by the USDA) and exposed to the deadly herpes virus, before being shipped home again. Bamboo was sent away to Tacoma for 9 months, only to be shipped back again after a disastrous attempt to integrate her with 2 other dominant female elephants. WPZ refuses to rule out future relocations for its elephants.

Sanctuary standards far exceed zoo standards

TES is not a zoo. It is instead a member of The Association of Sanctuaries (TAOS) which has it’s own rigorous elephant standards that far exceed those of AZA in many areas.

Compare them for yourself:
The Association of Sanctuaries
American Zoo and Aquarium Association

TES is also licensed by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA).

Phil Snyder, regional director emeritus of the Humane Society of the United States, has stated “The Elephant Sanctuary represents the future of enlightened captive elephant management.”