Hiroko the Elephant Suffered Greatly in Her Final Days Due to Obvious Neglect. Tell Her Zoo:
No More “Hirokos” Ever Again!
We thought you might be interested in this petition from Elephants in Japan about the disturbing, heartbreaking story of Hiroko the elephant:
When Hiroko died in 2018, the Osaka Tennoji Zoo claimed that it had been a peaceful passing. But footage recently released by the Japanese media showing the last hours of Hiroko’s life tells a very different story — a disturbing one of pain and suffering. A foot disease that ultimately killed Hiroko was causing her debilitating pain for years, making her captive life pure anguish. After seeing the footage, a veteran elephant expert told Elephants in Japan that Hiroko’s situation was one of the worst he had ever witnessed.
While the zookeepers at the Osaka Tennoji Zoo may think they did their best for Hiroko, and their intentions may have been good, it is evident that they were not sufficiently educated, trained, or equipped to assess and care for sweet, suffering Hiroko. The Osaka Tennoji Zoo must make a promise that they will never let this happen to another elephant; the facility should close down Hiroko’s exhibit and publicly promise to never obtain another elephant to replace her. Sign the petition to demand no other elephant suffers Hiroko’s fate!