Lucy the elephant too sick to be moved

EDMONTON — For the beloved and well-known elephant named Lucy, the Edmonton Valley Zoo says it will continue to be her home for the rest of her life based on medical assessments.

The medical information released by the zoo on Tuesday showed the 47-yearold Asian elephant should not be moved, despite demands from animal rights groups over the past several years that she be transferred to a sanctuary in a warmer climate.

The zoo has been working closely with the animal advocacy group Free the Wild, which co-operated in the assessment, since October.

Gary Dewar, the zoo’s director, said the medical report stated that Lucy has “severe breathing issues” and three of four experts believe moving the lone elephant from the zoo could be lifethreatening.

Two visiting veterinarians said Lucy breathes solely from her mouth – an unusual phenomenon for elephants, the zoo said.

Dewar added that the veterinarians couldn’t diagnose the root cause of the animal’s breathing issues.

For visitors of the zoo, it’s considered lucky to catch sight of Lucy. In semiretirement since 2020, the elephant is no longer on public display but continues to engage with her team of caretakers.

In a large dome filled with sand, Lucy flapped her ears and made grunting sounds as she threw sand over her back, a sign of joy, said a caretaker.

“Her day goes very much the way she wants it to go,” added Dewar. “We’re not going to dictate her schedule, she does that.”

The zoo has been engaging in free-contact management with Lucy, he said, meaning there’s no barrier between her and the keepers.

Lucy came to the zoo as an orphan in 1977 from Sri Lanka.

Former “The Price is Right” game show host Bob Barker and other celebrities have joined animal rights groups in a high-profile campaign urging the zoo to move Lucy to a sanctuary in the United States.

The groups, including Zoocheck and the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA, have said Lucy was overweight, lonely and plagued with health problems.

PETA also turned to the legal system to move Lucy. In 2012, it took the case to the Supreme Court of Canada.

The Canadian Press The Edmonton Valley Zoo is releasing medical information about an elephant in its care named Lucy after animal rights groups protested for years that she should be moved to a sanctuary.