Update on Lucy the Elephant
March 22, 2023

Independent panel of veterinary experts have concluded that, as of now, Lucy is too sick to be relocated to a sanctuary.  She suffers from a respiratory illness that prevents her from breathing from her trunk, a condition never documented before in an elephant.  Records show this illness was originally documented in 2008 yet nothing had been done to address the health concern.  While Lucy is unable to move, the experts concluded significant changes must be made to Lucy's enclosure and the way she is cared for at Edmonton Zoo in Canada.  Such recommendations include:

Providing additional space and freedoms for Lucy to roam at her leisure;
Fresh water for bathing and wallowing;
Air quality checks with the implementation of air filtration systems to ensure she breathes clean, microbe-free air;
Changes to Lucy’s diet to help her lose weight, as being overweight can impact her joints and long-term livelihood;
Move to a protected contact management system to increase her autonomy.

Experts noted Lucy is not permitted to do anything on her own and her daily life is lacking in any autonomy. Control over her behaviors is so significant that it even includes Lucy going to the bathroom in the drain where she has been trained to go, and being rewarded for doing so.  While on walks she is continuously being touched and nudged to move forward, even at times when she is stopped and contently grazing.

Her tiny enclosure and weather conditions under which she's subjected to are also of concern.  “The forced walks on the snow and ice in -15C weather borders on absurd,” one of the experts wrote.  One of the most shocking things identified during the assessment was the advanced uterine tumor  — so large that it’s pushing aside organs — and yet was previously undiagnosed.

Another striking finding noted the incomplete endoscopies that failed to determine the cause of Lucy’s breathing issues.

The report noted the improvements made to the zoo, including new gates, new restaurants, and enhancements to public areas of the zoo all while Lucy's situation remained dire and  ignored.

As long as Lucy remains undiagnosed, no one knows the extent of the breathing issue and she will remain unfit for relocation.

To read the latest (and previous) medical assessments of Lucy the elephant, click here.

Stay tuned for continued updates on Lucy

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