Transfer of three Toronto Zoo elephants to California sanctuary postponed again

TORONTO – The transfer of three aging elephants from the Toronto Zoo to a facility in California has once again been postponed.

The zoo’s CEO John Tracogna says issues with permits, flight arrangements, crate training and the risk of infectious disease at the PAWS facility are holding up the move indefinitely.

Wrangling between the zoo, PAWS and the city over the elephants’ transfer has already caused several delays.

Planning for the move resumed this summer after the California sanctuary turned over medical records on all its wildlife, but Tracogna says questions about conditions there remain.

Toronto City Council voted last fall to send the three elephants to the U.S. facility after groups voiced concern about the animals’ welfare.

Animal activist Bob Barker has promised to pay $880,000 for a plane to fly the elephants to their new home.

Controversy over the elephants’ fate has added strain to the Toronto Zoo.

It was denied accreditation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums this spring for the first time in 30 years, partly due to the decision to move Iringa, Toka and Thika to the PAWS sanctuary.

Tracogna has said the key issue in that decision was governance and had nothing to do with its care of animals.