Jul 21, 2006 2:04 pm US/Pacific
Plan Approved For New Elephant Exhibit At L.A. Zoo
LOS ANGELES (CBS) ―
Preliminary construction on a disputed 3.7-acre elephant exhibit at the Los Angeles Zoo will move forward after receiving the backing Friday of the city's Board of Public Works.
The board approved $2.1 million for the General Services Department to demolish part of the existing elephant exhibit and start construction of the zoo's new Pachyderm Forest.
The city's Public Works Department, however, is still studying whether to allow city construction crews to build the entire $39 million project.
According to a zoo report, the elephant exhibit will be funded with $2 million in private donations, $25 million from bonds approved under Propositions A and CC, $1 million from the city's general fund, and $11 million from the Municipal Improvement Corp. of Los Angeles, which pays for capital projects.
Animal rights activists want the zoo's remaining two elephants sent to a wildlife sanctuary, where they would have more room to roam.
American Zoo and Aquarium Association standards require that zoos provide 1,800 square feet of outdoor space per elephant, an allotment activists contend is too small. Of the 210 zoos accredited by the association, 78 have elephant exhibits.
Gita, a 48-year-old Asian elephant, died at the zoo June 10. An internal zoo investigation found that the elephant was reported to be sitting down eight hours before she received medical care.
Animal rights activists claim the elephant may have been saved if she received immediate medical attention, but zoo officials say corrective measures have been taken to prevent similar situations.
Tara, an African elephant, died at age 39 in 2004. Billy, an Asian elephant, is on display, but Ruby, an African elephant, is out of view from visitors.
The board also approved a plan Friday that will allow the city's construction crews build the zoo's Golden Monkey Exhibit for $2.9 million.
(© 2006 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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