Elephants will gradually disappear from Canadian zoos over the next few years if the new federal “Jane Goodall” bill, introduced on Tuesday, is passed. This legislation, which would also impose stricter national animal welfare rules for the possession of certain species of felines, primates and canines, should also undermine establishments that refuse to improve their practices.
Bill S-241, introduced by Saskatchewan Senator Marty Klyne on Tuesday, would prevent zoos across the country from buying elephants to keep them in captivity. The wording also recognizes that these animals, but also cetaceans and great apes, “should not live in captivity, unless it is justified in the light of their interests, including conservation and the well-being individuals, or non-harmful scientific research”.
After the adoption in 2019 of a federal bill which prohibited the keeping of cetaceans in captivity, the new bill must therefore make it possible to add elephants to the list. Like the legislation on dolphins and beluga whales, which does not prevent Marineland from keeping cetaceans in its amusement park, it does not change anything for animals already in captivity.
There are about twenty elephants in the country’s zoos. In Quebec, Parc Safari has two and the Granby Zoo has three, including a 22-year-old male and a 30-year-old female who arrived in 2019. Since elephants can live more than 50 years in captivity, the Granby Zoo should therefore be able to present elephants to its visitors for several more years even if the bill is adopted.
Director of animal defense and legal affairs at the Montreal SPCA, Sophie Gaillard welcomes this gradual end to the presence of imposing pachyderms in zoos in Canada. “They are very intelligent and social animals, which live in Africa. It is impossible to provide for their physiological and psychological needs in captivity,” she argues. In Africa, different elephant populations are showing marked declines, mainly due to poaching, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Monkeys and felines
If adopted, this legislation should also impose stricter rules for the possession of certain species of felines (lion, tiger, jaguar, leopard, lynx), canids (including wolves and coyotes), reptiles (crocodile, caiman, alligator, boas, pythons and anacondas) and primates (about 20 species).
Concretely, individuals and zoos could keep the animals they already have in captivity, but it would no longer be possible to acquire new ones unless they obtain authorization from the federal authorities. In this case, it will essentially be agreements between institutions that participate in breeding projects for certain species, as is the case at the Zoo de Granby and the Biodôme de Montréal.
“There are up to 4,000 big cats owned by individuals in Canada, and there are reports of poor conditions, safety issues and a lack of supervision. There are 100 to 150 attractions featuring wild animals in Canada where animals could be protected under the bill,” said a statement released by Senator Klyne’s office.
The bill also provides for a new designation for “animal care organizations” under “Jane Goodall’s Law,” including zoos and aquariums “that meet the highest standards of care and maintenance.” ‘other criteria, including the protection of whistleblowers’, i.e. people who could denounce bad practices related to animal welfare.
“These organizations will be able to continue their non-harmful animal care, conservation, science and public awareness programs for most species protected by law, subject to any conditions,” reads the statement released by Senator Klyne’s office.
Sophie Gaillard believes that stricter standards set by the federal government are all the more necessary since certain provinces, including Ontario, impose “very few restrictions” on the sale of exotic wild animals. She adds that the bill provides for granting “legal status” to identified species in order to prohibit their use in shows – in circuses, for example. “Animal welfare will be at the heart of the legal process, which would be a first in Canada,” she said.
The wording of the text tabled on Tuesday further specifies the intention “to prohibit in Canada the trade in elephant ivory and rhinoceros horn, as well as the collection of hunting trophies of these species”.
supports
Anthropologist Jane Goodall, ecologist and chimpanzee specialist, gave her support to the bill introduced by Senator Marty Klyne. “Together we can and we will give a voice to the creatures that cannot speak for themselves and end the misery that is wildlife trafficking,” she argued in the statement released. Tuesday, hailing “an important day for animals”.
Canada’s major animal protection organizations, but also the zoos of Toronto, Calgary, Granby and Assiniboine Park, as well as the Montreal Biodôme, have all announced their support for “Jane Goodall’s law”. All five establishments are members of Accredited Aquariums and Zoos of Canada (CAZA).
The president and CEO of the Granby Zoo, Paul Gosselin, believes that this bill could help “raise the level of quality” of zoos in the country. “This framework is very positive for zoological institutions that can comply with the highest standards of keeping in captivity,” he says. According to him, this new legislation could also force certain institutions to “close” their doors, since they would not meet the criteria set by the federal government.
In Quebec, there are at least five private zoos that are not accredited with the CAZA, according to the list provided by the organization. Most of them have species that are covered by the bill. In recent years, a case of animals kept in poor conditions has also led to seizures. This is the Saint-Édouard zoo, in Mauricie. Some 200 animals were seized in 2019. The zoo has since reopened, but with a new owner.