Royal Oak Girl Wants To Save Aging Elephants

Fight Heats Up For Winky And Wanda

POSTED: Tuesday, November 30, 2004

A 10-year-old Royal Oak girl is leading the fight to free Winky and Wanda, the aging elephants at the Detroit Zoo.

She's created a page on a Web site and a clever message, to save the elephants.

On a Web site page, Emma Stevens tells people how to help:

"Buy some small bags of peanuts and mail them to the American Zoo and Aquarium Association and The San Antonio Zoo. Include a note with the bags that says 'You've gotta be nuts not to free Winky and Wanda!' Be sure to include your name and address or they won't take you seriously," she says.

American Zoo and Aquarium Association
8403 Colesville Rd. Suite 710
Silver Spring, MD 20910-3314

San Antonio Zoo
3903 N Saint Marys St.
San Antonio, TX 78212

She also urges viewers to the site to sign an online petition.

The American Zoo and Aquarium Association is insisting that 51-year-old Winky and 45-year-old Wanda be moved to the Columbus Zoo rather than a warm-climate sanctuary.

Detroit Zoo director Ron Kagan wants the elephants to go to one of two sanctuaries in Tennessee and California, where they could roam dozens of acres with many other elephants.

Kagan announced the sanctuary plan in May, citing evidence suggesting zoo enclosures of any size fail to meet elephants' physical and social needs. Detroit's cold climate also has exacerbated the animals' arthritis.

Previous Stories:

November 19, 2004: Detroit Zoo Loses Appeal For Winky, Wanda
November 19, 2004: Woman Starts Petition For Detroit Zoo Elephants
September 3, 2004: AZA: Detroit Zoo Can't Send Elephants To Sanctuary
May 20, 2004: Take Virtual Tour Of Detroit Zoo Elephants
May 20, 2004: Detroit Zoo Elephants Leaving Town

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