Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Jenny The Elephant

1. Jenny is a 22-year-old African elephant who lives at the Dallas Zoo. Elephants enjoy companionship and do not do well alone. Jenny's companion died earlier this year. The Zoo decided that instead of getting her a new companion, they would send her to Africam, a 500-acre (out 0f 2000 acres total) animal park about 80 miles from Mexico City. It opened 36 years ago, has veterinarians and other employees who live at the park and is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. A companion African elephant is being brought in.

2. The Dallas Zoo provides about 1/6 acre for Jenny.

3. Protesters want Jenny to be sent to the Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee, a 2000 acre park that is home to 17 elephants and is known as a haven for troubled elephants. Jenny would share a 300-acre enclosure with three other African elephants.

The protesters say that, "Her life will be hell in Mexico." They don't elaborate. They further state that by sending Jenny to a sanctuary instead of a zoo, she will "not be exposed to the trauma of people..." Of course they say that they frequent the Zoo, so I guess people other than them traumatize Jenny.

4. Zoo officials are experts, want only the best for Jenny and have done their research.

The protesters are idiots.

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