Lucy- The coldest, loneliest elephant

World Without Zoos Spotlight Series #4

The cold weather traps the shuddering coarse elephant, with raspy breaths and dying eyes. This Asian elephant, Lucy, has been isolated in the Edmonton Valley Zoo in Alberta since the age of 2. Purchased from a wildlife dealer in 1977, she is barely able to endure the stinging winters, claustrophobic enclosures, and isolation in this zoo. Unfortunately, Lucy’s misery is only further exacerbated as a result of her ongoing respiratory issues, likely feeling that she’s breathing through a straw rather than a trunk. Furthermore, her molars are reportedly becoming crooked and affecting her breathing. Meanwhile, the zoo continues to paint a rather idyllic picture of Lucy’s life, claiming that she is happy and well adapted to the conditions of the zoo ;they even showcase her painting on canvases as if she is in a cheerful mood. The zoo believes that she would not survive if moved somewhere else. There is, thus, reluctance to shift Lucy to a sanctuary, where there is a chance for her to start a new chapter of her life. However, without this initiative, Lucy might remain the isolated Asian elephant who will be trapped in an icy and distant enclosure forever.