LA Zoo elephants, NY geese, bear killing, crab air fries, monkey torture + more 5/19/2025

The battle over elephants Billy and Tina, who are being moved from LA Zoo, has been a lead story in the Los Angeles Times and has now been covered by the New York Times, with the focus in that paper on rock star Cher’s involvement. Sunday’s Los Angeles Times’ front page covered a woman killed by a bear in her home, and the repercussions, while the New York Times Sunday Metro section cover featured efforts to save Central Park’s geese from extermination. Those stories and more below.

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Angelenos got an alert last week about a lead story in the Los Angeles Times covering legal action aimed at preventing Billy and Tina from being moved to the Tulsa Zoo, as they had “served their time” and deserved retirement at a sanctuary. Sadly, by Saturday, the Los Angeles Times lead story headline, page B1, was “Motion to stop L.A. elephants’ move fails.”

The New York Times story is titled, “Cher Wants a Better Home for L.A.’s Elephants. Not Tulsa” with the subheading, “A lawsuit is seeking to stop Los Angeles Zoo officials from shipping their two surviving elephants to another zoo in Oklahoma. Cher and other advocates want them to go to an animal sanctuary.”

For now, it is online only but it is likely to appear in print shortly.

It provides history on the elephants’ background, noting, regarding last week’s hearing,  “The judge’s action allows zoo officials to move forward unless the City Council decides to intervene,” But it also tells us, “On Friday, the Nonhuman Rights Project filed a separate lawsuit in Los Angeles County Superior Court to stop the move.”

Here’ a gift link to that story.

While of course the fates of these two elephants matter, the controversy gives us the opportunity to discuss the wider issue of holding animals captive for human entertainment. The Los Angeles Times is highly likely to publish more letters on the issue, and the New York Times may, so why not grab the opportunity presented?

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Sunday’s Los Angeles Times front page brought us the sorrowful story, “Woman’s death inflames debate over problem bears.”

While we are used to bears being killed for posing any kind of presumed threat, we learn that in this case a 71-year-old woman was killed by a bear who broke into her home. Though initially many believed the bear had only consumed parts of her after she had died from another cause, the autopsy report and blood through her house show that to be unlikely.

The site “Focusing on Wildlife” has the story online here without a paywall.  It gives us an opportunity to weigh in thoughtfully on our relationship with members of other species whose habitat we have moved into.

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At least Sunday’s New York Times brought us a somewhat more uplifting story: “A Mission to Protect Canada Geese in Central Park.”

It opens:

“Whether goslings live or die at the Central Park Reservoir could be up to two 70-something, nature-loving men who first crossed paths there this winter.

“Edward Dorson, a wildlife photographer and regular visitor to the reservoir, learned in 2021 that federal workers were destroying the eggs of Canada geese there as part of a government safety program to decrease bird collisions with airplanes. He tried to stop it.

“He reached out to animal rights organizations and wrote letters to various government agencies. He got nowhere.

“Then in December, he met Larry Schnapf, a tough-talking environmental lawyer, who spotted Mr. Dorson admiring the birds and introduced himself. Mr. Dorson told him about the nest destruction. Mr. Schnapf, in his 40-year legal career, had mostly focused on redeveloping contaminated properties but had picked up the occasional pro bono passion project. ‘I told him I take on quixotic pursuits,’ Mr. Schnapf said.

“Now, they are teaming up to protect the eggs of a small population of Canada geese that nest around the reservoir, a popular attraction for joggers and bird watchers. The battle will undoubtedly be uphill: They are lobbying multiple government agencies during a fraught time in aviation where bird strikes are one of many concerns, on behalf of a bird often described as a nuisance because of its honking cries and the droppings it leaves on lawns, parks and golf courses.”

Here’s a gift link to that one. You can check out the comments, as well as the story, but the paper advises, “The comments section is closed. To submit a letter to the editor for publication, write to letters@nytimes.com.” Thoughtful animal-friendly coverage surely deserves some appreciative letters.

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In other major media animal news, shared on the DawnWatch X Feed and/or DawnWatch Facebook page over the last week:

I shared a press release from the United States Attorney, Southern District of Ohio, titled, “Grand jury indicts 11 more individuals for involvement with online groups dedicated to monkey torture & mutilation” and couldn’t resist printing out the 11 names in the hope that they would be shared widely.

Euronews brought us more horrors for entertainment asking, “Does social media have an animal cruelty problem? Experts say yes, as TikTok user air fries crabs.”

And the Sacramento Bee ran, “CA proposal to limit the killing of coyotes put on hold amid rancher protests,” which included some strong quotes from the fine folks at Project Coyote.

The Orlando Sentinel has covered protests against Florida Bear Hunts.

After the sad bear tales above, at least we have this happy one, from the Patch: California Fish and Wildlife and also state park officials banded together to safely free a cub caught in volleyball net as mama stands guard.

And affecting billions of animals, we have good news on diet:

Eating Well Magazine brought us “The Case for Plant-based Protein.”

Similarly, NPR’s Morning Edition today aired, “Protein for strength training? Vegan diet matches meat for muscle gains.”

Vegan diet matches for muscle gain, but way outdoes meat for compassion and conservation!

Yours and all animals’,
Karen Dawn of DawnWatch