Executive Summary of Alaska Zoo’s Elephant Committee’s Report to Board of Directors, June 9, 2004

11 elephant experts were consulted or offered opinions to Alaska Zoo’s Elephant Committee in 2004

9 of the 11 were independent experts (not on the zoo’s payroll)

The independent experts were unanimous that Maggie be moved to a warmer climate and to the company of other elephants

Of the zoo’s two paid expert/consultants, only James Oosterhuis, DVM, supported keeping Maggie at Alaska Zoo

The Zoo continues to maintain publicly that “experts” support their plan to keep Maggie. This is untrue. Only one of its paid consultants supports the plan.
The zoo’s plan has no independent support from knowledgeable elephant experts.

The Board was informed of critical shortcomings in its elephant program:

• “We are currently unable to do basic health management procedures.” (page 3)

• Improvements at the zoo “are only a short term solution and are only delaying the inevitable. Eventually, as she ages, we will not be able to provide
Maggie the comfort and care she needs.” (page 4)

• “Maggie should not be alone.” (page 5)

• “All of the experts believed that Maggie should be with other elephants; and that she could be successfully moved by people who know what they
are doing.” (page 5)

• The planned improvements (treadmill, etc.) would be “useless to any other species we have. If something should happen to her we would not replace
her. How could one justify spending scarce monies on one animal that the experts say would be better off at another facility.” (page 6)

• Alaska Zoo’s staff voted 2 to 1 to relocate Maggie. (page 7)

See the complete report