Noah's Ark Zoo Farm staff getting ready for 'Elephant Eden'

“Elephants?! They're going to need a bigger freezer!”

“This is not a suitable place for elephants or any wild animal.”

“Of course with the elephant they'll be able to peddle the Rudyard Kipling tale of how it got it's trunk as oppose to accepted scientific fact, based on collated and researched physical evidence and intensive study. But hey, why let fact get in the way of a good yarn?”

“As two of the principal co-authors of the Coalition for Captive Elephant Well-Being's Best Practices, we are deeply disturbed that anyone planning an elephant exhibit could possibly believe, as Noah's Ark Farm Zoo (NAZF) claims, that a 15-acre enclosure can "encourage natural herd migration." The suggestion that such a small space could feasibly entertain this possibility is farcical, and makes us very suspicious whether NAZF operators have any understanding of even the basics of elephant ecology and the depth and complexity of elephants' needs.
Of further deep concern is their naming this exhibit a "Sanctuary" while, simultaneously, declaring an intent to breed their elephants. These intentions stands the zoo's claim to provide sanctuary on its head: for sanctuaries eschew breeding, so as not to prolong the problems of more generations of wildlife like elephants in captivity. Any claim that captive breeding is "conservation" is mischievous. Zoo breeders know full well that no captive bred elephants can be returned to the wild. Breeding in captivity is entirely a commercial ploy for increased attendance.
Finally, we turn to the zoo's statement that they will be the first zoo that "meets important 'Best Practices' recommendations… made by the Coalition for Captive Elephant Well-Being." We think this is a most commendable goal but are concerned that they fail to say they will aim to meet all or even a majority of those recommendations. If they mean just one or two of them that could be meaningless. The recommendations, it is very important to note, are not simply a shopping list from which to pick a few items: rather, they represent a cohesive and holistic set of criteria that taken together form one critically integral whole intended to meet the full scope of captive elephants' interests.
In light of our serious misgivings, and considering that NAZF's claims reveal such a shallow understanding of the principal aims and philosophies of the Best Practices, we feel obliged to insist that their declaration of compliance with the Coalition's Best Practices be withdrawn immediately”

“Nicely timed Frank. Born in 58 and still no handle on the language. Essentially you were who I meant.”

“Ah, don't fret Bedmo. As I am currently living in the USA, I am also an immigrant! My own views on immigration probably don't need to be aired under this article - but I too get angry at the sweeping attitude "they're taking our jobs" rubbish. Back to elephants.....they are obese and should be made to pay double on the bus!”

“@ BedmoBlues, Well said, the true hurts lol.”

“Sarcasm employed in type is often a mistake. I've returned to this site due to boredom at work and have thoroughly agreed with the majority of your statements - I stopped reading the comments on BEP due to the weight of disgraceful "ship 'em home" rubbish being slopped about - apologies if I jumped on you there, as a member of an immigrant family I feel the need to argue the point. I suspect I missed the joke.”

“@Bedmoblues, the last line of my comment was just a little joke, not a pronouncement on the issue of immigration. This article is about a zoo. I'm struggling to make sense of your response.”

“@ Dingslady - well on board with what you said - the collective weight of ALL (lets remember it is in the billions - citing the Mail) illegal immigrants is likely to sink the island 2 inches. Oh wait - that's ridiculous, as is what you've just said. Go back to your copy of the express. Illegal Immigrant in forty years will be viewed in a similar light as "undesirables" or "untermenschen." Illegal immigrants are the nations number one concern - not shocking disengagement from society of a largely white urban under class. No it's all the indian doctors.”