FIVE MONTHS AFTER AFFIE'S DEMISE, IDA CHALLENGES BROOKFIELD ZOO TO PUBLICLY RELEASE FINAL ELEPHANT DEATH REPORT

San Rafael, Calif. - Thursday will mark five months since the unexpected death of Affie at Brookfield Zoo, and In Defense of Animals (IDA) is calling for the release of the elephant's medical records and final necropsy report in a letter sent to zoo director Stuart Strahl today. IDA's previous request for this information was unanswered by the zoo.

"Having just turned 40, Affie should have been in the prime of her life," stated Catherine Doyle, IDA campaign director, noting that an elephant’s natural lifespan is 60-70 years.

"Her sudden death raises important questions that can only be answered through the public disclosure of her veterinary records and final necropsy report, which should have been available weeks ago," Doyle added.

A 2008 study in the prestigious journal Science found that, on average, elephants are dying in zoos at far younger ages than elephants in relatively protected wild populations. Since 2000, almost two-thirds of the African elephants who died in zoos accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) did not live to age 40.

According to IDA, elephants living in cramped and unnatural zoo displays suffer from a range of health problems, including obesity, arthritis, foot disease, reproductive problems, and abnormal behaviors such as repetitive swaying and rocking. Cold weather compounds the problem, as elephants are forced indoors into tiny cages for the majority of long, freezing winters, greatly restricting movement necessary for good health.

“It’s important to determine if Affie was yet another victim of inadequate zoo conditions, which cause elephants to suffer and die prematurely,” Doyle said. “It is in the best interest of elephants and the public for the zoo to fully disclose the records documenting Affie’s long-term health status and the circumstances of her death.”

For more information, please visit www.HelpElephants.com.

A copy of the letter can be viewed here.

Contacts: Catherine Doyle, 323-301-5370
Suzanne Roy, 919-697-9389