EDMONTON - An international animal rights organization has inducted the Edmonton Valley Zoo into its “Hall of Shame” for being one of the worst zoos for elephants in the world.

In Defense of Animals, based in San Rafael, Calif., said Monday the zoo is one of the worst repeat offenders and has not made progress in improving conditions for Lucy, its lone elephant.

“Every day that Lucy is at the Edmonton Valley Zoo, she is under great duress and danger,” said Toni Frohoff, a scientist with the organization. She specializes in elephants. “This is very poor education for the public. Lucy is a shell of an elephant and the zoo continues to condone her suffering.”

The controversy surrounding the aging elephant has raged for years. Animal activists argue that because elephants are social animals, Lucy shouldn’t be kept alone in captivity. Lucy has been alone since the zoo sent away her companion of 18 years, an elephant named Samantha, in 2007.

Edmonton’s cold climate — drastically different from the tropical one in Sri Lanka, where Lucy was born — is especially cruel, Frohoff said.

However, the city has said they will not move Lucy to a sanctuary in a warmer climate because the elephant has ongoing health problems that would make it difficult for her to breathe in stressful situations. They believe moving her would put unnecessary stress on Lucy.

“We consulted with both our own zoo staff and with other experts and the consensus is that it would be far too risky to move her,” said Rob Smyth, the city’s manager of community and recreation facilities. “It could in fact be fatal.”

Frohoff said the zoo has refused previous offers from veterinarians and elephant specialist to come to Edmonton to treat Lucy, free of charge.

But the city insists Lucy is receiving excellent care. Smyth said the city has consulted with several external experts and will continue to evaluate her health.

Lucy was first brought to the zoo when she was two-years-old and has been there for the past 37 years.

“At the end of the day, when Lucy does pass away, we will not replace her,” Smyth said. “But until that eventuality does happen, we will manage her health as we have been doing the last number of years.”

This isn’t the first time the Edmonton Valley Zoo has found itself on the organization’s list.

In 2013, it was listed as the second worst zoo for elephants in the world. It previously held the No. 1 spot for 2012 and 2011. The zoo first debuted on the list in 2010 at No. 2.

Because it was named to the Hall of Shame this year, it wasn’t featured in the Top 10. The hall includes zoos that the organization believes has ongoing issues of elephant mistreatment. The Edmonton Valley Zoo was the only one named to the hall this year.

The animal rights organization says it has a membership of 150,000 people.

asiekierska@edmontonjournal.com

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