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May 13, 2008 4:28 pm US/Central
Elephant Exhibit At Dallas Zoo May Be In Danger
DALLAS (CBS 11 / TXA 21) ―
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KeKe, an African elephant at the Dallas Zoo, passed away from a serious illness on May 12, 2008.
Dallas Zoo
The Dallas Zoo is set to reopen its elephant exhibit Wednesday. But what is not so clear is the exhibits' long-term future.
Zoo operators plan to provide public access to the elephant area, which only has one elephant left - Jenny.
Accredited zoos like Dallas' must have companion animals for proper socialization. With the death of Keke, Jenny may have to be moved someplace else if another elephant can't be moved into the Dallas Zoo.
"We have plans to grow an African Savannah here. We have a ten-acre, possible more plan here," said Sean Greene, Dallas Zoo. "I can fairly safely say today that our commitment to elephants for the future is here. In the short term, we're not sure yet. But for the long term, elephants will be here at the Dallas Zoo."
Animal advocacy groups are calling for the closing of exhibits like the one at the Dallas Zoo after KeKe the elephant died suddenly Monday afternoon.
Zoo officials say no one cares more about these animals than they do.
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