Group Asks That Federal Authorities Investigate the Treatment and Death of 48-Year-Old Asian Elephant – Gita - At the Los Angeles Zoo

This issue is in relation to the female elephant Gita who was found dead at the Los Angeles zoo. It is commonly held now that it was captivity that lead to her death as she was forced to stand on concrete and hard surfaces. Over time, an animal this size will suffer from this type of treatment. Eventfully, her legs gave out and then poisoning occurred due to circulation issues. I’m sure she was in severe pain when it occurred. You can read more about her death here: http://geari.blogspot.com/2006/06/animal-
rights-group-holds-los-angeles.html

Here’s a summation of this issue:

“The female elephant named Gita died Saturday morning. She was found sitting with her back legs tucked under her. She had arthritis and a history of foot problems, including surgery last year to remove portions of a toe from her left front foot.

''They knew her feet were rotting away. They knew she had severe arthritis. And yet they made public statements saying everything was healed, she was cured,'' said Bill Dyer of In Defense of Animals. ''They lied to the mayor, they lied to the City Council.''


Article:

Probe of elephant's death sought

http://www.montereyherald.com/mld/
montereyherald/news/state/14866997.htm

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Federal authorities should investigate the treatment and death of a 48-year-old Asian elephant at the Los Angeles Zoo, animal rights activists said Tuesday.

Representatives from In Defense of Animals called for the U.S. Department of Agriculture to investigate and said they believe the zoo violated the Animal Welfare Act.

The female elephant named Gita died Saturday morning. She was found sitting with her back legs tucked under her. She had arthritis and a history of foot problems, including surgery last year to remove portions of a toe from her left front foot.

''They knew her feet were rotting away. They knew she had severe arthritis. And yet they made public statements saying everything was healed, she was cured,'' said Bill Dyer of In Defense of Animals. ''They lied to the mayor, they lied to the City Council.''

Zoo officials have not announced the results from a necropsy on the 8,000-pound animal. Pathologists at the California Animal Health & Food Safety Laboratory System in San Bernardino have said results are at least two weeks away.

Zoo officials have maintained that they never mistreated Gita or other elephants at the zoo.

But the group's complaint to the USDA alleges that zoo personnel saw Gita's condition early during the night before her death but left her without care for at least five hours.

A phone message left for the zoo's spokesman Tuesday was not returned.

Zoo officials said the average life span of an Asian elephant in a zoo is 42 years. Activists said they live until 65 or 70 in their natural habitats.

Earlier this year, the City Council approved a $39 million, 3.5-acre exhibit that will house the two surviving elephants, a 45-year-old African female named Ruby and a 21-year-old Asian bull named Billy.