LA Zoo elephants Billy and Tina officially moved to Tulsa Zoo after controversy over their transfer
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Billy and Tina, who were the last two remaining Asian elephants at the Los Angeles Zoo, have officially been transferred after some controversy.
Last month, the zoo announced that the elephants would be moved to the Tulsa Zoo, a decision that prompted outrage and even legal action to stop their transfer.
Zoo officials on Wednesday confirmed that 40-year-old Billy and 59-year-old Tina arrived safely at the Tulsa Zoo.
"Although they will be missed, we are grateful for the outpouring of support from our members, volunteers, staff, and the more than 1.5 million guests who visit the Los Angeles Zoo annually. As they begin their new chapter, we know that Billy and Tina will receive the same love and expert individualized care that they have had at the Los Angeles Zoo," the zoo said in a statement.
Concern grew among animal activists this week after their enclosure was seen empty, suggesting that they had been moved in secret in the middle of the night.
"We knew it was coming, with the shackles on them yesterday," Judie Mancuso, the founder and president of Social Compassion in Legislation, told Eyewitness News on Tuesday.
AIR7 flew over their enclosure Tuesday and there was no sight of Billy or Tina.
"It was done secretly and surreptitiously," said Melissa Lerner, who is part of the legal team that was trying to block the elephants' transfer.
Zoo or sanctuary?
Activists had called for the elephants to retire at a sanctuary, not another zoo.
"We're angry because we've given the zoo an alternative. We've said over and over again that they can go to a sanctuary. If you're getting rid of them, why can't they go to a better life?" asked Cory Mac with the group Los Angeles for Animals.
Animals advocates have long criticized the zoo on history of deaths and health challenges. They've also protested the limited enclosure space for years.
"They've been in confinement in areas that are not conducive to good health, to their well-being, to their mental health. Sanctuaries give the elephants freedom of a nature similar to in the wild," Mac added.
The L.A. Zoo said two elephants who died in 2024 were in declining health due to issues unrelated to the zoo's enclosure or care.
There was an offer on the table to move Billy and Tina to a large sanctuary in Tennessee for free. However, it appears L.A. Zoo Director Denise Verret said no.
That raised questions because Verret is also the chair of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums - the very organization that has deemed it safe and humane to send the elephants to Tulsa.
"There is very well-settled research that it's virtually impossible for a zoo to be a humane environment for an elephant to live in," Lerner said.
The L.A. Zoo justified the move in a statement, saying in part that it evaluated all available options, including Association of Zoos and Aquariums-accredited sanctuaries.
"The Tulsa Zoo was the top recommendation of the SSP based on space, herd dynamics, and expertise of the staff. This option also ensured that Billy and Tina would be able to remain together."
