Well said, Rick Anderson. After going through the traumatic and invasive procedure of artificial insemination 50 times, Chai should not be subjected to another one. The zoo's breeding program is obviously not working and they must stop this non-productive, useless, expensive, cruel and doomed behavior. It is past time for WPZ to do the right thing for the elephants and let them go (at no expense to tax-payers or the city) to the 2700 acre Sanctuary in Tennessee, where they will not be inseminated or bred, will have the run of hills, woods and lakes and will be able to choose (or avoid) companions.

This is an excellent article but I must correct something. The name of the organization that warned the zoo to stop its deadly breeding program is the Northwest Animal Rights Network (NARN). FWPZE is the name of the campaign. Thanks, Rick, for exposing the zoo's callous and unconscionable practices.

After 50 invasive artificial insemination procedures (historylink.org) yielding only one failed pregnancy it's time to leave Chai alone. She lost Hansa a year ago and now has lost her baby. Can we finally be humane and make the unselfish decision to let her live in peace and freedom at The Elephant Sanctuary?

After 50 invasive artificial insemination procedures (historylink.org) yielding only one failed pregnancy it's time to leave Chai alone. She lost Hansa a year ago and now has lost her baby. Can we finally be humane and make the unselfish decision to let her live in peace and freedom at The Elephant Sanctuary?

WPZ, please, please come to your senses and stop this failed and abusive "breeding" program. It is NOT for the preservation of the species - no elephants will be sent back to the wild - it is to preserve the zoo's bottom line. Please give them the freedom they deserve and send them (at NO cost to you) to The Elephant Sanctuary!

I'm concerned with not only the failed elephant breeding program - which is outrageous - and the elephants' artificial, restricted habitat, but with all animals in capture at the Woodland Park Zoo.
If indeed species conservation is the leading motif, why in the world can't all parties agree to send resources and expertise to the countries of origin where the animals belong!
I have a sneaking suspicion that Dr. Hawkes and many other zoo experts and promoters have the ulterior motif of keeping themselves in business. This may be understandable
considering their investment of time and training, but it's time for the institution of urban zoos to go. The city should begin to implement a phase-out program, which granted may take years, but the release of the remaining elephants at Woodland to the sanctuary that's willing to take them would be a sensible start.

It would be great if some of the zoo's donors — animal lovers all — would take a hard look at this situation and make themselves heard by WPZ officials. Surely they don't want to see their beloved elephants suffer future losses of this kind.

One question: What is the cost of artificially inseminating an elephant? Then times that by 50. That money would be better spent saving elephants in the countries where they live.

If only this meant that there would be no more attempts at artificial insemination, I would say, Good. Good that another elephant didn't survive to live in exceedingly cramped and unnatural quarters, and then get passed on to roadside zoos or circuses when older to make way for more money-making babies.
Just a big NO all round to elephants in zoos. And zoos altogether.

The elephant breeding program must stop. WPZ, please take The Elephant Sanctuary up on their offer to transport and care for these elephants. They deserve a chance to lead normal lives.

A lot of ignorance floating around here about how modern zoos work. I relate to the concern for the animals, but a lot of what I'm reading is emotional, not rational, and ignorant of what zoos like WPZ really do for their animals.

Elephants live naturally in multi-generational herds. Having a baby to rear and bond over is important to these animals' well-being and IS normal.

Accredited zoos like WPZ are among the biggest resource contributors to wildlife conservation internationally, including elephant conservation, so those of you saying they should spend their money elsewhere are (deliberately) ignorant of the whole picture.

Humans miscarry too in their first trimester without anyone blaming their environment, their housing conditions, or unrelated health issues. It seems convenient that animal activists can take a natural occurrence that we don't yet know enough about and spin it to fit their agenda.

Oh, and it's "Chai" not "Chia," Rick. Way to do zero research on this article other than to quote old interviews about herpes, which you never proved has anything to do with this discussion.

Thank you for your article Mr. Anderson.
It is time for the Woodland Park Zoo to admit that their elephants' cramped quarters are a disgrace. To bring another baby to that type of world is insane. I'd like to think that Chai knew better than to bring her baby into a miserable life. Insemination/breeding program must stop. The zoo should develop a sanctuary mentality for animals in need, a sort of rescue place but, heaven forbids, not ever for elephants unless they can provide several thousands of acres for them. There won't be such a thing ever again in the Seattle region where trees are cut repeatedly and buildings going up like poisonous mushrooms!
WPZ should send their 3 elephants to the Tennessee Sanctuary NOW!

To Merilee: Thanks. My mistype in the headline.

Merilee, you are the one who is ignorant. Chai has been artificially inseminated over 50 times and not one viable birth has resulted. Only this miscarriage. WPZ hardly donates anything to real wild-elephant conservation projects. And the WPZ elephants do not "live naturally in multi-generational herds". They are a incompatible dysfunctional ragtag group of pathertic victims. Bamboo and Watoto don't get along because one is AFrican and the other is Asian. This goes against the zoo industry's own guidelines that caution against housing the two different species together. Chai's only child, Hansa, died last year of herpes as a result of the zoo industry's failure to practice any infection control. Watoto has tested positive for the same herpes virus and Hansa probably caught it from her. Now they're trying to set up another innocent baby elephant to die from this highly communicable virus. Thank God Chai miscarried and saved the baby from a deprived existence and gruesome premature death and Chai from more sorrow. Merilee you need to educate yourself from some other source other than just the zoo.

"Having a baby to rear and bond over is important to these animals' well-being and IS normal".

How many wild elephants have been artificially inseminated at all, much less 50 times ??? There's absolutely nothing "normal" about this or anything else when it come to the lives of captive elephants. Your zoo will never achieve a "multi-generational herd" because it can't keep artificially-induced babies alive. All you do is kill elephants for profit.

Experts have recognized for years that elephants do not do well in captivity,even in a zoo such as Woodland Park.The elephants would benefit enormously if their exhibit was closed and they were allowed to retire to a sanctuary such as the one on Hohenwald, Tennessee.