According to the Reuters news service, they're freeing Asian elephants Winky and Wanda on ethical grounds.
Elephants can develop arthritis and stress-related ailments in captivity. And the Director of the Detroit Zoo, Ron Kagen, says Winky and Wanda have recurring foot problems due to cold weather.
In the wild, elephants roam vast areas and live in large families. They exhibit some of the same social traits as humans - like forming friendships and mourning the dead. But confined to zoos and circuses, elephants develop physical problems and neurotic behavior, such as rocking back and forth. And sometimes this behavior even becomes aggressive. Kagen says the ethical question is whether elephants should be in captivity at all. The Detroit Zoo stopped performances by elephants and chimpanzees several years ago because of the stress it placed on the animals. And now, the zoo wants to send Winky and Wanda to an animal sanctuary where they can roam with other elephants. Wayne Pacelle, CEO of the Humane Society of the United States believes this is an enormously important move.
And he hopes it'll trigger the examination of the treatment of elephants in other zoos and circuses across the world.