Recently, Happy, an Asian elephant at the Bronx Zoo, was seen in public for the first time after nearly 10 weeks. This sighting sparked concern from the Nonhuman Rights Project (NhRP), a group dedicated to monitoring her well-being. A photo posted to NhRP’s Instagram account showed Happy lying down in a sand pit within her enclosure, behavior that was not considered normal for her by the activists. According to them, from 2018 onwards until her disappearance this summer, Happy was always observed standing in this yard.
However, the Bronx Zoo maintains that Happy is perfectly healthy and that NhRP’s observations are not as accurate as their expert team’s assessment. The spokesperson for the zoo told The Post that it’s normal for healthy elephants to lie down, which indicates comfort and security in an area. They also dismissed concerns about damage to Happy’s feet, stating that any cracks in her nails are managed with routine pedicures.
In contrast, NhRP criticized the zoo’s response as “minimizing” of the elephant’s condition. Lauren Choplin, the communications director for NhRP, explained that free-living elephants do not require foot treatment or pedicures. She also pointed out that foot disease is one of the leading causes of death in captive elephants and argued that Happy’s current living situation cannot meet her physical or emotional needs.
The conflict between NhRP and the Bronx Zoo began in mid-July when the former raised concerns over Happy’s disappearance from public view. The zoo responded by saying that “nothing is wrong with Happy” and claiming she chose not to go out into the area visible from the monorail. The NhRP filed an Animal Welfare Act Complaint with the USDA on behalf of Happy, expressing concern over her confinement indoors for at least a week and potential physical and psychological distress.
The Bronx Zoo’s stance is that Happy is not confined indoors and has access to both indoor and outdoor spaces, choosing where she wants to be. The USDA recently conducted an inspection in response to a complaint from NhRP, which found no issues with Happy or any other elephants living at the zoo.
