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STODOLA AUCTIONING OFF THE LAST ELEPHANT AT THE LR ZOO |
Mayor Mark Stodola announced this week that after months of planning by zoo officials that the board has finally approved an updated master plan that will phase out the elephant area and replace it with an Adopt-A-Pet area that relocates the animal shelter from its present location to the zoo.
When the Little Rock Board of Directors discussed the Little Rock Zoo’s master plan back in April, Stodola questioned the expansion of the elephant area as proposed. Citing concerns about the recent dispute nationwide about zoos’ housing of elephants, something that escalated in Little Rock when an advocacy group dubbed the Little Rock Zoo as a place where elephants go to die, Stodola urged that alternatives to expansion be developed.
Stodola told reporters that the plan “sorta came to him” after the board made a late night fact finding visit to Midtown Billiards in connection to discussions of shutting down late night clubs. Stodola said that the updated plan included the addition of a Tiki Bar and that a portion of proceeds from alcohol sales would go to a fund to provide spaying/neutering of adopted pets.
When the Little Rock Board of Directors discussed the Little Rock Zoo’s master plan back in April, Stodola questioned the expansion of the elephant area as proposed. Citing concerns about the recent dispute nationwide about zoos’ housing of elephants, something that escalated in Little Rock when an advocacy group dubbed the Little Rock Zoo as a place where elephants go to die, Stodola urged that alternatives to expansion be developed.
Stodola told reporters that the plan “sorta came to him” after the board made a late night fact finding visit to Midtown Billiards in connection to discussions of shutting down late night clubs. Stodola said that the updated plan included the addition of a Tiki Bar and that a portion of proceeds from alcohol sales would go to a fund to provide spaying/neutering of adopted pets.
