An asian elephant born in the Oregon Zoo last friday has caused a stir over the last few days as a story broke from the Seattle Times yesterday that reported the newborn elephant belongs to a controversial traveling elephant show who wants to take the little calf on the road. The calf, who hasn't been named yet, belongs to a california-based company called Have Trunk Will Travel who signed a contract with the Portland Zoo in 2005 to let a certain number of offspring be handed over when they are born from the zoo-owned mother, Rose-Tu and the traveling show-owned father, Tusko. After this provoked much controversy, an update from zoo officials broke on the news wire today saying the newborn will stay at the zoo with her mother. This is great news for the baby elephant. It should definitely stay with her mother and not be subjected to the questionable treatment traveling shows inflict on their animals. If you aren't convinced, here's a video of the baby and her mother:
Then again, you can also make the argument that elephants shouldn't even be captive in american zoos altogther, they should belong in their natural habitat. The Seattle times
