A Bronx Zoo faces scrutiny after a month-long disappearance of a beloved elephant, the New York Post reported.
Concerns are mounting over the well-being of Happy, a 53-year-old elephant at the Bronx Zoo, who has not been visible to the public for nearly six weeks. Activists from the Nonhuman Rights Project are raising alarms about Happy’s health and mental state, according to the New York Post. Happy is known for being easily spotted from the zoo’s monorail as she roamed around a pond. She has been reportedly spending all its time in a small barn within her enclosure since July 14.
Activists say ‘clearly something is wrong’ as Happy the Elephant is still ‘missing’ from Bronx Zoo https://t.co/p3GsQN7bWg pic.twitter.com/0Wtals73Je
— New York Post (@nypost) August 23, 2024
This behavior is atypical for elephants, who are generally social and active animals. There are concerns that Happy might be experiencing depression or physical pain, leading to her withdrawal from the outdoor areas of her enclosure, according to Courtney Fern, Nonhuman Rights Project’s director of government relations. (RELATED: Archaeologists Reveal Hunting, Butchering Of Elephants By Ancient Humans)
BRONX, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 19: Happy, an Asiatic elephant, stands in her enclosure on October 19, 2022 at the Bronx Zoo in the Bronx, New York. Animal rights advocates have sued the zoo claiming that because Happy is separated from other elephants, her enclosure is a form of cruel punishment, and a court has considered if an animal is due some of the same rights as a person in court. (Photo by Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images)
The Bronx Zoo responded to inquiries by stating Happy is choosing to stay in parts of her enclosure that are not visible from the monorail and has access to other indoor and outdoor areas, the outlet stated. However, this explanation has not alleviated worries about its condition, with Fern and other activists suspecting that the elephant’s health, either mental or physical, might be deteriorating.
“They’re claiming it’s her choice not to come outside. It’s possible that’s true — but this is not normal behavior for an elephant,” Fern told the New York Post. “Most likely she’s not coming out because something is wrong with her mentally or physically.”
