LOS ANGELES — After outcry over the recent deaths of two L.A. Zoo elephants, the Los Angeles City Council wants to know why they were euthanized.
The council unanimously voted Wednesday to ask the zoo for a study that would examine the factors that led to the deaths of the two Asian elephants — Jewel and Shaunzi — and detail whether improvements need to be made in how the zoo cares for its remaining elephants.
The motion was introduced by Council members Bob Blumenfield and Eunisses Hernandez after the zoo’s decision to euthanize 53-year-old Shaunzi in January. Jewel was euthanized in January 2023 at the age of 61.
“It’s not a whodunit. It’s not like they’re doing an autopsy to find the killer. We know they were euthanized because they were having serious medical issues,” Blumenfield said. “Part of the report is to find out: What were those issues? Is this something that was directly related to captivity?”