Where the Wild Things Are

Ohh how I love Mondays (of course this statement is drenched in Sarcasm). Jarring in its execution, transposing in its reality - it the day of the week where I feel like I can't quite get my footing, but this morning....I long to be where the wild things are.

Yesterday, I took an extroadinarily delightful family day trip to the LA zoo and in all of my years of being in this city, somehow I've never traveled up to this particular zone of Griffith Park. Needless to say that I had a blast amongs the chimpanzees, nubian ibex's (those were super cool), Masai Giraffe, Meerkats, and Sichuan Takin (really don't be impressed, I went to the LA zoo website to figure out what the hell I saw on Sunday).

The LA Zoo was founded in 1966 and is home to over 1,100 animals from all over the world, owned and operated by the city of Los Angeles. Fun tidbit is that the zoo has been implementing a California Condor breeding program that has grown the number of condors in the world from a low of 22 in the 1980's to 330 today. The First LA zoo opened in 1912 and was about two miles north of its current site until about 1965. The site of the current zoo was formerly the location of Rodger Young Village (a public housing project set up for temporary housing for veterans returning to Southern California area following the end of World War II), which was itself built on the land which had been use for the Griffith Park Aerodrome.

Currently the Zoo is experiencing controversy over Billy the Elephan and the 42 million Pachyderm Forest project, a 6 acre proposal that began in 2006 to house the zoos Elephant exhibit. The project has been put on hold by animal rights activist who contests that the exhibit space would not provide the appropriate roaming space for the animals. It is LA Concilman Tony Cardenas who is suggesting that the Zoos lone Asian Elephan, Billy, be sent to the Permorming Animal Welfare Society in San Adreas backed by a 1.5 million dollar endorsement by Bob Barker of price is right fame to cover the cost of Billy's transport.

"Our zoo is trying to do the best job they can with the real estate they have and the budget they have," said Councilman Tony Cardenas, who conceived the motion to stop construction of the exhibit and move Billy to a sanctuary. "Elephants don't fit in zoos; they have ailment they don't get out in the wild. Whether it's an acre or three to four acres. it's inadequate."

As stated by Jack hanna (proponent of the Pachyderm Forest Project) " What I found was a project taking shape that will set a new standard for the care of elephans at zoos, providing a home that will be even larger than what Asian elephants enjoy a the San Diego Wild Animal Park. Not only will Billy and future residents have a huge amount of space in which to roam, they will continue to enjoy 24-hour monitoring, state of the art medical care, love, nuturing and a level of attention that ranch-like sanctuaries cannot provide. My conclusion: The pachyderm Forest will be a model for humane elephant care that will educate generations to come on the threats Asian Elephans face in the wild."