Thanks first and foremost to rexphantom who introduced me to this issue in his May 21 journal entry.
There are two things I remember most about going to the zoo when I was a kid: the first was the giant iconic dog in a chefs hat that smiled down from above Doggie Diner across the street (I never saw a Ralphs Big Boy growing up, and clowns have always scared me: that dog was my favorite fast food mascot). The second was the Elephant House.
Built in the 1930s, the Elephant House is an imposing structure of grey concrete and metal that shares a certain Dashiell-Hammett/San Francisco-of-my-grandfather-mystique with the Big Cats building. The Big Cats building, however, used to make me shit my pants every time my dad dragged me in there during feeding time. You have to stand real still, son, or theyll break loose and eat you was what I thought I heard. Hard to hear much of anything with the deafening roars of lions and tigers echoing off of concrete and metal.
So, for solace I told everybody I loved the elephant house. Supposedly, when I was four, my answer to what I wanted to be when I grew up was, A race car driver. Or an elephant.
And who doesnt love an elephant? Who doesnt go to a zoo these days to see an elephant? Or, at the very least, walk into the zoo knowing that, even if the sun wears you down and you get tired of dodging seagulls and toddlers right around the time that your last handful of kettle corn starts to simmer uneasily in your gut, somewhere, in this zoo you could have seen an elephant. A mainstay. A popular attraction.
But not a good idea.
The SF Zoo used to have four elephants. I remember them. Two Africans and two Asians. They never did much, and that was fine. At least they had each other.
On March 7 of this year the SF Zoo put down one of their two Asian elephants, a 37-year old named Calle. Calle had developed chronic colic, arthritis, infections of foot and bone as well as, some experts say, psychological problems. Less than two months later, one of the Zoos African elephants, 44-year old Maybelle got sick and died.
In the wild elephants live between 60 and 70 years. They are also used to a certain climate and the ability to roam up to 50 miles in a day. Poor conditions like the ones present at the SF Zoo have caused 6 other national zoos to release their elephants to sanctuaries and permanently close the exhibits. Similar sanctuaries have already offered to take SFs two remaining elephants at no cost.
But a decision has not been made.
Conservation is one thing. I understand that both species of elephant are on the endangered species list due to poaching and habitat destruction. Increasing awareness is vital for conservation efforts and zoos like the one in San Francisco do an incredible job with education and rehabilitation.
Just not for elephants.
Not that they arent cared for. I spoke with one of the keepers during an exercise/inspection of Tinkerbell, the one remaining Asian elephant. These people love their job and they love the animals and they do what they can. What they cant do is force the zoo administration to do what seems only logical and humane and in keeping with the conservationist philosophy they take such pride in.
Id be okay not seeing the elephants any more. Sure, itd take some getting used to. But its about damn time I faced my fear of the Big Cats anyway.
That, or the lemurs are pretty cool
Contact them! San Francisco Zoo
There are two things I remember most about going to the zoo when I was a kid: the first was the giant iconic dog in a chefs hat that smiled down from above Doggie Diner across the street (I never saw a Ralphs Big Boy growing up, and clowns have always scared me: that dog was my favorite fast food mascot). The second was the Elephant House.
Built in the 1930s, the Elephant House is an imposing structure of grey concrete and metal that shares a certain Dashiell-Hammett/San Francisco-of-my-grandfather-mystique with the Big Cats building. The Big Cats building, however, used to make me shit my pants every time my dad dragged me in there during feeding time. You have to stand real still, son, or theyll break loose and eat you was what I thought I heard. Hard to hear much of anything with the deafening roars of lions and tigers echoing off of concrete and metal.
So, for solace I told everybody I loved the elephant house. Supposedly, when I was four, my answer to what I wanted to be when I grew up was, A race car driver. Or an elephant.
And who doesnt love an elephant? Who doesnt go to a zoo these days to see an elephant? Or, at the very least, walk into the zoo knowing that, even if the sun wears you down and you get tired of dodging seagulls and toddlers right around the time that your last handful of kettle corn starts to simmer uneasily in your gut, somewhere, in this zoo you could have seen an elephant. A mainstay. A popular attraction.
But not a good idea.
The SF Zoo used to have four elephants. I remember them. Two Africans and two Asians. They never did much, and that was fine. At least they had each other.
On March 7 of this year the SF Zoo put down one of their two Asian elephants, a 37-year old named Calle. Calle had developed chronic colic, arthritis, infections of foot and bone as well as, some experts say, psychological problems. Less than two months later, one of the Zoos African elephants, 44-year old Maybelle got sick and died.
In the wild elephants live between 60 and 70 years. They are also used to a certain climate and the ability to roam up to 50 miles in a day. Poor conditions like the ones present at the SF Zoo have caused 6 other national zoos to release their elephants to sanctuaries and permanently close the exhibits. Similar sanctuaries have already offered to take SFs two remaining elephants at no cost.
But a decision has not been made.
Conservation is one thing. I understand that both species of elephant are on the endangered species list due to poaching and habitat destruction. Increasing awareness is vital for conservation efforts and zoos like the one in San Francisco do an incredible job with education and rehabilitation.
Just not for elephants.
Not that they arent cared for. I spoke with one of the keepers during an exercise/inspection of Tinkerbell, the one remaining Asian elephant. These people love their job and they love the animals and they do what they can. What they cant do is force the zoo administration to do what seems only logical and humane and in keeping with the conservationist philosophy they take such pride in.
Id be okay not seeing the elephants any more. Sure, itd take some getting used to. But its about damn time I faced my fear of the Big Cats anyway.
That, or the lemurs are pretty cool
Contact them! San Francisco Zoo
VIEW 9 of 9 COMMENTS
audrey:
I love elephants.
stitchy:
Thought of you today when I was walking on Market St. I remembered your story about the hearts in the city. Have you seen the one between 1st & New Montg? It's across the street from the See's candy store. If you haven't, you have to. It is SO amazing!