A group trying to get Woodland Park Zoo’s elephants moved to a 2,700 acre sanctuary is calling for people to show up at the zoo this evening to protest during Jungle Party, the zoo’s largest fundraiser of the year.
Friends of Woodland Park Zoo contend Bamboo, Chai, and Watoto are kept in cramped conditions that are cruel and inhumane for the large mammals. An organizer says they will have “hundreds” of vocal protesters on hand with signs and banners to discourage donors from donating to the zoo “until the elephants are freed to the 2,700 acre Elephant Sanctuary.”
The protest is scheduled for 5-7 p.m. See their Web site for details or call 206-595-7770 for more information.
Update: There are about 20 protesters out there right now (5:20 p.m.) but organizers hope for about 50 total (not the hundreds that they had speculated earlier). Five bicycle cops are in the area to make sure things don’t get out of hand. The zoo is pretty relaxed about the event and has even marked a couple of spots for protesters to hand out fliers for their cause.
