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Report from Elephant Expert Review Panel

Posted by: Dr. Deborah B. Jensen, President and CEO

African elephant Watoto watches Asian elephant Chai at play. Photo by Ryan Hawk/WPZ.

As our dear friends and supporters of the zoo, I wanted to share with you the latest news from the Elephant Task Force. This group of community leaders was recently charged with providing an objective evaluation of the health and social well-being of Woodland Park Zoo’s elephants, and an assessment of the zoo’s elephant breeding program.

Read the full report.
Last night, the task force released a report from its Expert Review Panel comprised of six internationally recognized scientific experts in elephant care and behavioral health. The panel included respected scientific leaders from academic veterinary research and medicine, as well as animal science sectors.

The Expert Review Panel reaffirmed that Woodland Park Zoo’s elephants Watoto, Chai and Bamboo are in good medical health and the behavioral and social well-being of all three elephants is good. The panel’s report also provided an independent evaluation of the zoo’s elephant breeding program and options for future success.

Like you, your zoo is passionate about providing excellent care and is always focused on how to improve the elephant experience. The report also outlines ways to further enhance the zoo’s elephant exhibit and program, which the zoo’s elephant team and I welcome. The Expert Panel’s input is invaluable and we will review and consider it in detail.

The Woodland Park Zoo Board of Directors and leadership greatly respect and appreciate the rigorous review of our elephant program by the Elephant Task Force and look forward to receiving the final and full report in September, 2013. We will share that report with you once it is available.

Thanks so much for your support. Woodland Park Zoo is a world-class zoo because of community members like you. You are truly helping to provide the very best in animal care here at the zoo and helping to save animals in the wild through your support.

Comments

Anonymous said…
I appreciate the transparency that Woodland Park Zoo exhibits in accommodating the task force/expert review panel and in providing this report to the public, so that the community is made aware of the background and the standards of animal care that are practiced at the zoo.



Anonymous said…
I know the current elephant habitat is quite alright, but I do hope the zoo will implement the suggested changes by the group.