SEATTLE, Wash. — Animal activists are calling for a thorough investigation after what they call a “botched transport” of two elephants that were headed to Oklahoma City Zoo.
Bamboo and Chai were headed to Oklahoma City, but were diverted to San Diego due to severe weather.
“If those elephants end up dead, that is all on Woodland Park Zoo,” Julie Woodyer of Zoocheck said.
The two elephants boarded a semi-truck last Wednesday after the Ninth Circuit Court denied a last-minute appeal to stop the elephants from moving to the Oklahoma City Zoo.
“The minute the court case was over, the elephants were being loaded and put on the road,” Woodyer added.
Woodyer along with other activists allege that Woodland Park Zoo officials didn't properly plan for the elephants' transport and that's why they ended up in San Diego, not Oklahoma.
“But the biggest question is why did they leave here either knowing there was bad weather or not having checked the weather at all?” Woodyer questioned.
Bruce Bohmke, CEO at the Woodland Park Zoo, said the transport team knew there was a storm and altered their route to avoid it, but the storm got worse. So they decided to go to the nearest qualified facility in San Diego to give the animals a break.
Animal activists want the mayor and City Council to step in.
“If the investigation shows Woodland Park Zoo was reckless, rushed the transport and took risks with the elephants' safety and welfare, then we want the elephants kept in San Diego, and we want responsibility taken away from Woodland Park Zoo,” said Alyne Fortgang of Friends of Woodland Park Zoo Elephants.
The plan is still to move the elephants to Oklahoma City Zoo. But Bohmke said could take weeks to organize.
The move to Oklahoma was originally expected to cost $110,000. This detour will cost taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars more.