Tara the Toronto Zoo elephant.MOV

Tara the Toronto Zoo who just died. Her stiff looking back legs could be a clue about why elephants don't belong in winter climates or on concrete.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• Toronto Zoo
• elephants
• Tara the elephant

[santaclausiscomin]

@lilolme39 not every zoo, however the Toronto zoo fails at caring for the elephants, which is why the remaining elephants were moved to a sanctuary

[santaclausiscomin]

The Toronto zoo cant keep elephants

[beanone2]

@lilolme39 Not going to zoos makes the zoo run out of money, which makes it fire keepers which means less attention for the animals, so technically that would be killing them quicker!

[beanone2]

@jump3001 The elephants at the Toronto zoo elephants get exercised, and are given foot care everyday. And two of the other elephants, Toka, and Iringa, are both in their 40s and are still very much alive, especially Toka <3 ! But the keepers give them the best care! I think that they are living happy lives and I have witnessed that personally.

[lyricessence]

If you are interested in elephants and want the truth about their welfare in captivity, go to HelpElephants(dot)com.

[DCSDKA]

Tara was not OLD. I was in Thailand at the Elephant Nature Park and saw elephants WAY older then her moving better. In fact Mae Bua would wrestle and play with the teenage elephants. This is not natural.

Rest in Peace Tara

[toyhorse]

Zoos cannot provide the amount of room an elephant needs to live a natural life span. I've seen elephants at the sanctuary in Tennessee and the Elephant Nature Park in Thailand much older than Tara who move with the speed and grace of a younger animal.

[jump3001]

Jayrebear, I'm afraid you've been misinformed about elephants. Even the info about elephants on the Toronto Zoo's own site gives a longer life expectancy than you have stated. Confined elephants die in their 40s and earlier because of their confinement, and the accompanying lack of exercise, and typically inappropriate surface underfoot. This can lead to crippling arthritis and horrendous foot problems.

Tara deserved a better and a much longer life. What future can the remaining three expect?

[jayrebear]

Tara had been at the zoo since the 70's. She was 41 when she died. She lived a long life. Their live expectancy is between 40 and 45. She was stiff because she was old. She was loved by all and will be greatly missed.

[lilolme39]

Poor girl! It's clear her hind legs were stiff and not bending at the knees at all. It's a disgrace that elephants (or any animals) are still used for display in zoos in this day and age. It's literally killing them. People are paying zoos to treat animals this way every time they visit one. Help elephants by simply not going to zoos!