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ROYAL OAK, Mich., April 7, 2008 – Winky, one of two aging Asian elephants who left the Detroit Zoo in April 2005, was euthanized today at the Performing Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) sanctuary in San Andreas, Calif. She was 56 and had severe arthritis for years.
“Winky’s death was not unexpected, but it is heartbreaking nonetheless,” said Detroit Zoological Society Executive Director Ron Kagan. “We are comforted to know that her quality of life for the past three years was as good as it possibly could have been, and we’re grateful to the staff at PAWS for the excellent care she received and the environment she retired to.”
Arthritis in captive elephants is common and is believed to be a result of living in small areas, often standing on concrete floors for long periods of time. Despite expansion of the Detroit Zoo’s elephant habitat in 1998, it was determined that there was no realistic way to provide the appropriate physical and social environment for captive elephants, especially during Michigan winters. In the wild, elephants live in warm climates and roam vast areas, often walking many miles a day. The Detroit Zoo decided in 2004 to no longer exhibit elephants.
Both Winky and her companion Wanda suffered from arthritis and foot problems. The pair had been at the Detroit Zoo for about 10 years before being moved to the PAWS sanctuary, where Wanda, 50, remains with several other elephants. For an update or to contribute to her care, visit www.pawsweb.org.
The Detroit Zoological Society is a non-profit organization that operates the Detroit Zoo and Belle Isle Nature Zoo. Situated on 125 acres of naturalistic exhibits, the Detroit Zoo is located at the intersection of Ten Mile Road and Woodward Avenue, just off I-696, in Royal Oak. The Detroit Zoo is open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. April through October – with extended hours until 8 p.m. Wednesdays during July and August – and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. November through March. Admission is $11 for adults 13 to 61, $9 for senior citizens 62 and older, and $7 for children ages 2 to 12; children under 2 are free. For more information, call (248) 541-5717 or visit www.detroitzoo.org. The Belle Isle Nature Zoo is open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. year-round and provides educational programming with interpretive staff support from the Huron-Clinton Metroparks. For more information, call (313) 852-4056.
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