3 zoos get permission to bring in new elephants from Africa

The zoos say they’re working quickly to bring the elephants to the U.S. Together, they’ll provide homes for elephants that were slated to be culled.

“We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, are making available the final environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact under the National Environmental Policy Act regarding a permit application submitted by Dallas Zoo Management, on behalf of the Dallas Zoo, Sedgwick County Zoo, and Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo”.

Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium is one of three zoos given the green light to import elephants from Swaziland, Africa.

Zoos in Dallas and Omaha will also receive elephants from Swaziland.

The zoos needed federal approval for the import permits because of federal and global regulations involving the transfer of threatened or endangered species across borders.

The elephants have been living in a temporary holding area since July because of worsening conditions.

The move has been contested by animal rights groups. The elephants will be imprisoned in three separate zoos for the rest of their lives; an ugly alternative to other viable plans which would have seen the elephants remain in Africa, which were ignored.

Gregg Hudson, the president and CEO of the Dallas Zoo, said the zoos “are committed to the safe future of these elephants”. Elephants in zoos will never be returned to Africa, as one would believe by the zoo’s conservation claims.

The idea “if you build it they will come”, seems to have worked out for the Sedgwick County Zoo.

Last year, the zoo applied to acquire six of the elephants to be a part of its Zambezi River Valley project which is scheduled to open on Memorial Day.