{
"type": "rich",
"version": "1.0",
"provider_name": "Action Network",
"provider_url": "https://actionnetwork.org",
"html": "",
"author_name": "Weeping Elephant Project",
"author_url": "https://actionnetwork.org/groups/weeping-elephant-project",
"title": "A Theme Park Is No Place for Elephants: Busch Gardens Tampa Bay",
"thumbnail_url": "https://can2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/letters/photos/000/452/633/normal/IMG_0212.jpg",
"description": "Busch Gardens Tampa Bay keeps a small herd of Asian elephants inside one of the busiest theme parks in the country, their habitat ringed on every side by roller coasters and fireworks. Elephants are incredibly sensitive to their surroundings, and much of that sensitivity runs through the ground: a large part of how they communicate is through vibration, low-frequency calls that travel through the earth and are read through their feet. Constant artificial vibration cuts directly into that sense, and decades of research tie this kind of chronic noise and disruption to lasting harm. The people who know these animals best tried to raise the alarm. Former keepers describe reporting their concerns internally, and when nothing changed, filing formal complaints with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the USDA in October 2024. Nearly two years later, they say no investigation has come, and the park's accreditation remains untouched. What they describe is not a single lapse but a pattern. Even after an elephant nearly died during a fireworks show, the displays continued, because they draw crowds. According to former staff, dozens of animals, including eight great apes, have died at the facility since 2021, and employees who raised welfare concerns were pushed out or left rather than stay silent. The through-line is a facility that has repeatedly prioritized the profitability of its shows over the safety of its animals. In July 2026, Carina, a 54-year-old Asian elephant, was euthanized after what the company called a sudden decline. Busch Gardens points to her long life as proof of good care. But in the wild, Asian elephants can live well into their seventies, and former keepers tie deaths like hers to an elephant program stretched too thin, understaffed, and, by their account, no longer meeting the AZA's own standards of experience level. Whether the park's conditions played a part is exactly what an independent review would determine. None has taken place, and the executive who chairs the AZA's board is a top officer of Busch Gardens' own parent company. Busch Gardens answers to its guests and to the public. Tell them plainly that you won't spend your money at the park while these questions go unanswered, and that you expect an independent review of the elephants' welfare. It takes a minute, and it goes straight to the people who can act.",
"url": "https://actionnetwork.org/letters/busch"
}