“Decades of educational entertainment end today as the animals prepare to move to a new exhibit at the San Diego Zoo.” – Los Angeles Times

“Jeffery Zuba, head veterinarian at the San Diego Zoo’s Wild Animal Park, believes there is a way for African animal parks to preserve the environment without resorting to killing members of their resident herds. Along with colleagues at Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Colorado University, Zuba has proposed using laparoscopic surgery—a minimally invasive procedure utilizing fiberoptic instruments—to permanently sterilize free-ranging elephants. ” – Popular Mechanics

“Following last week’s death of a female infant elephant at the San Diego Wild Animal Park, the Save Wild Elephants Coalition (of which IDA is a member) renewed their call for an end to the captive breeding and capture of elephants from the wild for display in zoos. The young pachyderm who died was born to a female who was one of 11 elephants captured in 2003 from the African country of Swaziland, and was euthanized at the San Diego Zoo after becoming severely ill. The Coalition opposed the import of these elephants before they were taken from their homeland for display in the U.S., and charges that this tragic incident is just one more piece of evidence pointing to the failure of U.S. zoos’ elephant breeding and display programs.” – IDA eNews

“A two-month-old elephant was euthanized at the San Diego Zoo’s Wild Animal Park Monday, after struggling since its birth Nov. 28. The calf had lesions with the same antibiotic-resistant staph infection reported in three park employees.” – SignOnSanDiego.com

“Born Nov. 28, the African elephant calf is not gaining weight as she should, said officials at the San Diego Zoo, which operates the park near Escondido” – SignOnSanDiego.com

“A female African elephant calf born at the San Diego Zoo’s Wild Animal Park late this summer has been named Phakamile, which means “noble” in the African language of siSwati, zoo officials announced Monday.” – KGTV San Diego

“In a year that has already seen the birth of two African elephants at the San Diego Zoo’s Wild Animal Park, the birth of one more of the threatened species is icing on the proverbial cake. And it is sweet, as Lungile (Loon-gee-lee), a 16-year-old elephant, gave birth November 29, to a female calf.” – Imperial Valley News

“Goodbye, Horn and Hoof Mesa. The San Diego Zoo has started demolishing 7 acres of old exhibits there to make way for Elephant Odyssey, the blockbuster $44 million project that will house elephants, lions and jaguars.” – SignOnSanDiego.com

“While the San Diego Zoo still celebrates the recent birth of a baby girl panda, the Wild Animal Park has something to celebrate too.” – SignOnSanDiego.com

“The San Diego Zoo has received a $1 million state grant to help build a new exhibit for the elephants.” – KGTV San Diego

“The euthanization last month of Carol, a beloved 39-year-old Asian elephant at the San Diego Zoo’s Wild Animal Park, has reignited the debate over whether zoos provide the care they should for wild animals whose captivity zoo officials say ultimately may protect the species from extinction.” – North County Times

“But last week, at the San Diego Zoo’s Wild Animal Park, it wasn’t: One of the great creatures of Earth was put to death on the captive side of the fence” – North County Times

“A 39-year-old Asian elephant at the San Diego Zoo’s Wild Animal Park was euthanized Tuesday, after veterinarians determined that a degenerative joint disease had worsened.” – KGTV San Diego

“A male African elephant born at the San Diego Zoo’s Wild Animal Park in Escondido is being monitored around the clock to ensure the first-time mother properly cares for her baby, it was announced Monday.” – 10 News

“A state Assemblyman who is crafting a bill that would dictate how much space is needed for elephant enclosures at zoos across California, says the Wild Animal Park is on the right track, but the San Diego Zoo isn?t. At least not at present.” – San Diego Business Journal Online

“Animal rights activists spoke out Saturday night against the way elephants are being kept at the San Diego Zoo, 10News reported.” – 10News.com

“Local animal advocates reacted with anger and disgust this week to a report on the death of a 36-year-old African elephant that spent most of its life at the San Diego Zoo’s Wild Animal Park before being sent to Chicago in 2003.” – North County Times

“Kudos for John Van Doorn’s excellent commentary detailing the harsh reality experienced by Wankie the elephant and her unfortunate predecessors (”Elephants start dying when the gates close,” May 9). Sadly, recent tragic events at the San Diego Zoo reveal a more systemic problem with the handling, care and confinement of elephants at zoos that is even more bleak.” – North County Times