Resources - Milwaukee Zoo Fact Sheet

Overview

Elephants

Milwaukee County Zoo (MCZ) presently holds two female African elephants, Brittany (b. 1981), who arrived in 2001, and Ruth (b. 1979), who arrived from Gladys Porter Zoo (Texas) in December 2006, after that zoo closed its elephant exhibit.

In Sept. 2006, Lucy was euthanized at age 46, after suffering chronic arthritis and collapsing in her stall. The elephant, Babe, who arrived with Lucy in 1962, died January 16, 2001, at age 43. She had suffered from chronic digestive problems (colic).

Milwaukee has a controversial history with elephants. In 1995, Annie and Tamara were transferred to the PAWS sanctuary after Milwaukee County Executives viewed videotapes of the zoo’s inhumane training sessions. In 1990, Lota was sold for one dollar to the Hawthorn Corp., which trained and rented out elephants to circuses (and was later forced by the USDA to relinquish its elephants due to abuse).

Exhibit
No dimensions or information on substrate were provided, though clinical records indicate the indoor flooring is concrete and outdoor substrate is soil/sand mixture. The exhibit has a moat, which an elephant can fall into.

Elephants at MCZ have suffered nail cracks, cracks in the soles of the feet, and soft areas of decay on the pads that, according to zoo recrods, were likely due to “persistently wet concrete floors” in the wintertime. Several entries comment that foot conditions improve in the spring when the elephants are outside on dirt.

MCZ plans to renovate its elephant exhibit starting in 2008, with completion in 2010, though no dimensions were provided. The exhibit would hold only three elephants, just meeting AZA standards for group size.

Management
Protected contact was instituted after Babe injured a keeper in 1979. MCZ claims to be the “first in the U.S. to develop and implement” this training system. Keepers are allowed to postpone a feeding or give an elephant a “time out” for “no more than one hour if the elephant fails to respond appropriately to commands.” Chaining is allowed for certain husbandry protocols or for particular instances. The Zoo’s Elephant Training Manual states:

“Lower leg chains are used to limit an elephant’s movement. They are applied to prevent fighting between incompatible elephants, prevent stealing of another elephant’s food during feeding times, and as a protected contact device during some elephant care procedures. Chaining gives the handler a greater degree of control while doing bathing and footwork, during veterinary examinations, and while cleaning enclosures.

For life threatening emergencies, a CO2 fire extinguisher and long ankus are available. Staff are required to wear an “approved knife.”

Elephant Profiles

Brittany
Female African elephant
Born ~1981 in Africa; caught in 1983
Transferred to Ferndale in 1983
Transferred to Hugo (Carson & Barnes Circus) April 4, 1983
Transferred to Greenville Zoo, SC, Sept. 30, 1999
Transferred to Milwaukee County Zoo, June 8, 2001

At only two years old, Brittany was sold to Carson and Barnes Circus but “did not work out well as a circus elephant,” as she often ran out of the tent during performances. Brittany was then sold to Greenville Zoo in 1999 to be a companion for the zoo’s lone female African, but the two proved to be incompatible. After Babe died in 2001, MCZ purchased Brittany for $27,500 to be a companion for Lucy.

Brittany suffered “soft superficial areas of decay” on the pads in 2002. Record noted: “This affects the other elephant Acc. #196 and has affected other elephants housed at this zoo in the past. Pads look worse than when animal first arrived, and is most likely due to persistently wet concrete floors in the winter time. Keepers report that pads usually improve once spring starts and the animals go outside on the dirt.” This problem is likely ongoing per a July 2005 record which states: “All foot pads appear to be in good condition, with only a few cracks that need paring out. Feet are improving and pads getting harder since animal let outside for the summer.” Also noted both in veterinary records and in the zoo’s animal profile are nail cracks in the rear nails.

Brittany has worn her tusks down by rubbing them on the bars of her enclosure. A July 2005 record notes: “Tusks are quite short…left is shorter than the right….”

A small elephant at less than 6,000 pounds, MCZ’s elephant profile states that Brittany is a “well mannered” elephant who has never shown aggression towards humans. In the circus and at Greenville Zoo, she was trained in the free contact system. At MCZ, which uses protected contact training, Brittany is considered a fast learner, but she can also be stubborn.

Brittany’s relationship was Lucy was called “amiable,” with Brittany as the dominant elephant.

Prior to Lucy’s death, the AZA’s Species Survival Program in 2005 recommended sending Brittany to another zoo for breeding in exchange for another elephant. A transaction with Kansas City Zoo did not work out, and MCZ then expressed interest in Affie, an elephant held at Brookfield Zoo (Illinois).

Ruth
Female African elephant
Born ~1979 in Africa, captured 1980
Transferred to Grand Prairie in 1981
Transferred to Oak Creek Oct. 31, 1985
Transferred to Minnesota June 1986
Transferred to Albuquerque Zoo Nov. 1, 1987
Transferred to Oak Creek Feb. 25, 1988
Transferred to Lowry Zoo Mar. 5, 1988
Transferred to Oak Creek Oct. 31, 1990
Transferred to Gladys Porter Zoo Oct. 31, 1990
Transferred to Milwaukee County Zoo Dec. 2006

RECORDS NOT YET AVAILABLE.

Lucy
Female African elephant
Born ~1957 (per stud book) or 1960 (per MCZ records); captured
Transferred to Milwaukee Aug. 30, 1962
Died September 1, 2006

Lucy was purchased by MCZ at about 5 years of age. There was no formal elephant management program so Lucy received a “minimal amount of behavioral control” using free contact until 1980.

Lucy suffered painful chronic arthritis, with recurring lameness in the front and back legs . Her zoo profile notes: “On several occasions in the past 12 years, keepers have found Lucy down on her side and unable to right herself. Keepers and veterinary staff have observed nothing that might account for this occurrence.” Each time, staff helped Lucy to her feet using straps and block and tackle. Prior to her death in 2006, Lucy was found down twice; she was euthanized on the second occasion.

Colic was another chronic and painful problem. Lucy displayed a variety of behaviors to indicate her distress, including “leaning against the wall, holding rear limbs under the abdomen, stretching rear limbs out, draping trunk over front bars, holding mouth open when stretched, and occasionally knuckling on its front limbs.”

Lucy suffered recurring vulvar swelling, and ventral and flank edema. Records noted that “Swelling appears to be ‘thut’ as reported in elephants secondary to stress or anxiety. Swelling first appeared last year in late December and could also be related to the onset of colder temperatures.” Lucy suffered urine scalds on more than one occasion, on rear feet and limbs. These problems only occurred during the winter months.

Foot disorders included pad separation and foot cracks. 2002 records note: “Pads in general are thin, and laced with soft areas that are discolored black...This problem is most likely due to persistently wet concrete floors in the winter time. Keepers report that pads usually improve once spring starts and the animals go outside on the dirt.” Being held indoors for long periods in the winter months continues to affect Lucy’s feet. In 2005 it is reported: “Numerous cracks apparent on the rear feet… Feet are improving and pads getting harder since animal let outside for the summer.”

Persistent abscesses were noted in Lucy’s perineal area and on the back of the thighs in 2001-2002. She also suffered tusk fractures. Records from 2003 and 2005 suggest loss of weight and muscle mass.

Lucy was considered to be aggressive toward people and unpredictable; she would charge people as they passed her stall. Lucy would become upset if someone raised a shovel or similar object near her. A keeper is reported to have said that increasing aggression and intractability in “old” elephants maybe related to “cognitive disorders and senility.” No mention is made of the pain that Lucy suffered from chronic arthritis and repeated episodes of colic and how that would affect her demeanor.

Lucy showed “abnormal” behaviors after the death of Babe. The two elephants had arrived together at MCZ in 1962. Lucy displayed repetitive swaying, listlessness, “distress and extreme separation anxiety,” lack of appetite, etc. It appears that Babe’s necropsy may have been done in the elephant barn. (“Last remains of companion conspecific #198 removed from building last night.”) Tranquilizers were considered if the behaviors did not change or worsened. In addition, there was concern that the repetitive weight shifting and head swinging might worsen lameness due to Lucy’s arthritis.

Lucy was submissive to Brittany but insisted on being the first elephant to go outside. She initiall showed some nervousness when Brittany was brought to MCZ. Later, she appeared “very fearful” of Brittany and would “rock, not eat, and dribble urine as if frightened or submissive” when Brittany was present.

Babe
Female African elephant; caught 1960
Brought to Milwaukee County Zoo Aug. 30, 1962
Died Jan. 16, 2001

Records are limited for this elephant (begin 2005).

Babe suffered a “six-year history of intermittent colic,” with a mild incident two days before her death. She had also suffered “intermittent bouts of colic over the past several months.” Babe displayed her pain through behaviors such as lethargy, reluctance to walk, trunk limpness, and stretching her back legs.

Babe’s death was attributed to obstruction of the small intestine and fluid loss into the large intestine with subsequent heart failure: “mechanical ileus/impaction with secondary obstruction, loss of fluid into the large intestine and the abdomen with subsequent cardiovascular collapse.”