Help Winky and Wanda

Reccently, The American Zoo and Aquarium Association
condemned the Detroit Zooвs decision to retire aging
elephants Winky and Wanda to an elephant sanctuary,
instead insisting that the elephants be sent to the
Columbus Zoo.

The Detroit Zoo's decision to send Winky and Wanda to
a sanctuary was very compassionate and kind. At a
sanctuary Winky and Wanda will have a beautiful
retirement roaming open space with other elephants and
enjoying exercise.

Winky and Wanda suffer from arthritis and desperately
require room to exercise on natural substrate. The
Columbus Zoo currently houses five elephants on just a
few acresвmeager space for elephants who roam
upwards of 50 miles per day in the wild.

In addition, the Columbus Zoo still practices an
outdated, circus-style form of elephant management
that focuses on dominance and the imposition of fear,
both of which are established with the use of
bullhooks and chains which cause injuries. The
Columbus Zoo also breeds elephants, which serves no
conservation purpose, as none of the offspring will
ever be released into the wild. At ages 52 and 46,
Winky and Wanda are beyond breeding age and would
serve no purpose for the zoo industry's breeding
program.

We beseech you to take action in favor of Winky and
Wanda. Their future can be peaceful at a sanctuary. To
keep them in a zoo any longer would be unkind and
inhumane.

I thank you for your concern with the public opinion
regarding this issue.