logo
Cher, 79, issues heartbreaking plea to stop 'inhumane' treatment of two elephants in captivity

Cher, 79, issues heartbreaking plea to stop 'inhumane' treatment of two elephants in captivity

Daily Mail​20-05-2025
Cher, Kim Basinger, and Nicola Peltz Beckham were among the 20 celebrities who signed a letter urging LA Mayor Karen Bass to transport two elderly Asian elephants to a sanctuary rather than the Tulsa Zoo.
The LA Zoo announced April 22 they were getting rid of their last two remaining elephants - Billy, a 40-year-old bull, and Tina, a 59-year-old female - after decades in captivity inside a 6.5-acre enclosure.
Both endangered animals were reportedly removed from the wild as babies as Billy was four-years-old when he arrived at the LA Zoo in 1989.
Tina was reportedly trafficked into the circus in 1969 at one-year-old and endured years of circus abuse before arriving at the LA Zoo in 2010.
'They both exhibit symptoms of zoochosis - including functionless, repetitive motions such as rocking, swaying, and head bobbing,' attorneys Martin Singer and Melissa Glass wrote Sunday in a letter obtained by TMZ.
'We are informed that her transfer (and potentially the transfer of both Tina and Billy) will take place tonight or tomorrow under the cover of darkness and obfuscation. For weeks, Tina has been bound with shackles and now Billy is in chains like a prisoner too. This indicates that their transport is imminent.'
Cher (L), Kim Basinger (M), and Nicola Peltz Beckham (R) were among the 20 celebrities who signed a letter urging LA Mayor Karen Bass to transport two elderly Asian elephants to a sanctuary rather than the Tulsa Zoo
The LA Zoo announced April 22 they were getting rid of their last two remaining elephants - Billy (L), a 40-year-old bull, and Tina (R), a 59-year-old female - after decades in captivity inside a 6.5-acre enclosure
LA Zoo director Denise Verrett said moving Billy and Tina to the Tulsa Zoo would cost $44K, but the celeb supporters can 'easily raise enough money to cover the cost of retiring Billy and Tina to true elephant sanctuaries.'
Both Kim and Nicola Instastoried desperate pleas on Tuesday for the 71-year-old Democratic politician as Basinger blasted: 'These are social animals that need to be in a herd, not a prison cell! Where is your compassion?'
Meanwhile, Cher tweeted her support of John Kelly's lawsuit on May 10 to block the elephants' move, but a judge denied the temporary restraining order last Thursday.
The 79-year-old pop diva's passion for pachyderms was previously captured in the Paramount+ 2021 documentary Cher & the Loneliest Elephant where she helped escort 36-year-old Kavaan to a Cambodian sanctuary.
Alicia Silverstone, Diane Warren, Justin Theroux, Katherine Heigl, Lily Tomlin, Mena Suvari, Mira Sorvino, Priscilla Presley, Ron Livingston, and Ron Perlman also signed the letter
On April 7, the Tulsa Zoo opened the newly-renovated Mary K. and John T. Oxley Family Elephant Experience alongside their 36,650-square-foot Preserve Barn and 10-acre Elephant Preserve.
Dr. Chris Draper, an international expert in animal behavior, visited the Tulsa Zoo on May 10 and called it 'inhumane' for the two males Sneezy and Hank and three females Sooky, Booper, and Connie living there.
'All five of the elephants lack[ed] muscle tone and were not in optimal body condition, and one had a cracked nail,' Dr. Draper said in the letter.
'When the [flooded] "preserve" becomes useable, the elephants will not have unrestricted access because the Tulsa Zoo cannot put all five elephants together in such a relatively small space.'
He stressed: 'Accredited elephant sanctuaries offer significantly more space, enough to allow elephants to start to heal physically and emotionally and engage in a more natural range of behaviors.'
Tina was reportedly trafficked into the circus in 1969 at one-year-old and endured years of circus abuse before arriving at the LA Zoo in 2010
Both Kim and Nicola Instastoried desperate pleas on Tuesday for the 71-year-old Democratic politician as Basinger blasted: 'These are social animals that need to be in a herd, not a prison cell! Where is your compassion?'
Meanwhile, Cher tweeted her support of John Kelly's lawsuit on May 10 to block the elephants' move, but a judge denied the temporary restraining order last Thursday
The 79-year-old pop diva's passion for pachyderms was previously captured in the Paramount+ 2021 documentary Cher & the Loneliest Elephant where she helped escort 36-year-old Kavaan (L) to a Cambodian sanctuary
Back in 2012, former LA Zoo commissioner Betty White wrote about Billy and Tina in her seventh book, Betty & Friends: My Life at the Zoo.
The late national treasure championed the remodeled Elephants of Asia exhibit, even testifying before the LA City Council when animal activists attempted to stop construction of the elephant habitat in 2008.
'It seemed like it was never going to happen, and to almost get shut down, that close to fruition — I think it was a whole week that I didn't sleep,' Betty wrote at the time.
'But sure enough by persevering, we got it accomplished, and it's beautiful on both sides of the enclosure. It's great for the elephants, and it's great for the people.'
Tina's companion Jewel was euthanized, at age 61, 'due to declining health' in 2023 and another female elephant called Shaunzi was euthanized, at age 53, in 2024 at the LA Zoo.
38 zoos in North America have reportedly closed their elephant exhibits - including the Monterey Zoo, Oakland Zoo, San Francisco Zoo, Santa Barbara Zoo, Sacramento Zoo, and Six Flags Discovery Kingdom.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Jessica Alba seeks 'mystic guidance' amid her hot new romance with Danny Ramirez
Jessica Alba seeks 'mystic guidance' amid her hot new romance with Danny Ramirez

Daily Mail​

time23 minutes ago

  • Daily Mail​

Jessica Alba seeks 'mystic guidance' amid her hot new romance with Danny Ramirez

Jessica Alba is getting grounded — with a little help from the power of crystals — as her steamy new romance with Top Gun: Maverick star Danny Ramirez continues to sizzle. The 44-year-old actress, who's long embraced the holistic uses of stones like quartz and amethyst, was spotted Thursday browsing for spiritual reinforcements at KM Crystals in Venice Beach. Dressed down in a white tank and matching shorts, Jessica kept a low profile in a baseball cap as she exited the trendy wellness boutique, which boasts on its website, 'We create an atmosphere that helps uplift your internal state so that you'll feel more at home the moment you walk through our door.' Alba doubled down on her love of crystals in a 2021 Instagram post, sharing a photo of herself clutching a massive purple amethyst and writing, 'Let's be real—I've always been into collecting crystals. They are powerful and healing in their own unique ways and I've found that they help me keep my mind right by making me feel more grounded and connected to myself.' The Honey star also gushed about her crystal collection in a 2020 interview with New Beauty, saying, 'I love crystals—they hold so much power and energy.' Now, with a new man in her life, it looks like Jessica is stocking up on good vibes. The crystal shopping spree comes just one day after Alba and Ramirez were spotted getting cozy over a romantic Italian dinner on Wednesday night — further fueling buzz around their budding relationship. Jessica rode shotgun as her 32-year-old boyfriend carefully pulled the car away, eyes fixed on the road ahead. But the couple couldn't stop smiling as they left together, looking more loved-up than ever. What began as a low-key relationship is now showing signs of evolving into something deeper, despite Alba's initial hesitation. A source told 'Jessica's romance with Danny has taken a surprising turn. What started out as a summer fling feels like it's getting more serious, although she still wants to take things slow. 'But at the end of the day Jessica has never been one to play the field. She's excited to see where this romance is headed.' Jessica officially confirmed her split from husband Cash Warren, 46, in January, after weeks of mounting speculation. The former couple—who met on the set of Fantastic Four in 2004 and tied the knot in 2008—filed for divorce in February, though the proceedings remain ongoing. They share three children: daughters Honor, 17, and Haven, 13, and son Hayes, 7. Alba's rumored romance with Ramirez, 11 years her junior, first made waves when the two jetted off to Cancun earlier this month. Their tropical getaway came just two months after Jessica was seen 'kissing' a mystery man in London—though it's still unclear whether that man was Danny. How the two met remains a mystery, but an insider previously told that while Danny has been 'enamored' with the actress, she's been hesitant to commit. 'Danny is cool, a nice guy and he is enamored with her, but it is not exclusive,' the source said earlier this month. 'She's not in that frame of mind. He has a chance to make something out of their connection, but she is taking it all in stride. Right now, she's looking to just have fun.' Ramirez, originally from Chicago, is best known for playing Joaquin Torres—aka the new Falcon—in Marvel's The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and the upcoming Captain America: Brave New World. He also appeared as Lt. Mickey Garcia in Top Gun: Maverick, and is currently filming Avengers: Doomsday, slated for release on December 18, 2026.

BREAKING NEWS Southwest passengers hurled out of their seats and onto plane's CEILING to avoid mid-air collision over LA
BREAKING NEWS Southwest passengers hurled out of their seats and onto plane's CEILING to avoid mid-air collision over LA

Daily Mail​

time23 minutes ago

  • Daily Mail​

BREAKING NEWS Southwest passengers hurled out of their seats and onto plane's CEILING to avoid mid-air collision over LA

Passengers aboard a Southwest Airlines flight from Burbank to Las Vegas were thrown from their seats and slammed into the cabin ceiling on Friday afternoon after the pilot made a sudden, evasive maneuver to avoid a mid-air collision over Los Angeles. Flight 1496, which departed Hollywood Burbank Airport was just minutes into its 73-minute journey when it suddenly plunged without warning. The dramatic dive was captured in eyewitness accounts and social media posts, with several passengers, including comedian Jimmy Dore, describing a terrifying few seconds in which 'plenty of people flew out of their seats' and a flight attendant was injured. 'Just now on SW Flight #1496 Burbank to Las Vegas,' the comedian posted to X. 'Pilot had to dive aggressively to avoid midair collision over Burbank airport. Myself & plenty of people flew out of their seats & bumped heads on ceiling, a flight attendant needed medical attention. 'Pilot said his collision warning went off & he needed to avoid plane coming at us. Wow.' Comedian Jimmy Dore and his producer Stef Zamorano were both on the Southwest flight that had to made a sudden evasive maneuver to avoid another aircraft leaving Burbank airport Dore said the pilot later told passengers that an aircraft collision warning had been triggered in the cockpit, forcing him to take immediate action to avoid another plane. Video shared by Dore's producer Stef Zamorano showed shaken passengers moments after the ordeal, still trying to process what had just occurred. 'Just a few minutes ago we ended up having crazy turbulence on this flight,' Zamorano said in the clip. 'Jimmy, have you ever had that kind of experience before?', she asked. 'Turns out that turbulence was the pilot taking an aggressive move because there was another plane coming at us. That's what it was. It was collision avoidance,' Dore explained. The incident comes just days after a similar scare on a Delta flight that narrowly avoided a military B-52 bomber, raising fresh concerns over air traffic safety in crowded U.S. airspace.

Hulk Hogan descended upon American culture at exactly the time it was ready for him: the 1980s
Hulk Hogan descended upon American culture at exactly the time it was ready for him: the 1980s

The Independent

timean hour ago

  • The Independent

Hulk Hogan descended upon American culture at exactly the time it was ready for him: the 1980s

The opening chords of Rick Derringer's hard-rock guitar would play over the arena sound system. Instantly, 20,000 Hulkamaniacs — and many more as wrestling's popularity and stadium size exploded — rose to their feet in a frenzy to catch a glimpse of Hulk Hogan storming toward the ring. His T-shirt half-ripped, his bandanna gripped in his teeth, Hogan faced 'em all in the 1980s — the bad guys from Russia and Iran and any other wrestler from a country that seemed to pose a threat to both his WWF championship and, of course, could bring harm to the red, white and blue. His 24-inch pythons slicked in oil, glistening under the house lights, Hogan would point to his next foe — say 'Rowdy' Roddy Piper or Jake 'The Snake' Roberts (rule of thumb: In the 80s, the more quote marks in a name, the meaner the wrestler) — all to the strain of Derringer's patriotic 'Real American.' In Ronald Reagan's 1980s slice of wishful-thinking Americana, no one embodied the vision of a 'real American' like Hulk Hogan. 'We had Gorgeous George and we had Buddy Rogers and we had Bruno Sammartino,' WWE Hall of Famer Sgt. Slaughter said Friday. 'But nobody compared at that time compared to Hulk Hogan. His whole desire was to be a star and be somebody that nobody every forgot. He pretty much did that.' He saw himself as an all-American hero Hogan, who died Thursday in Florida at age 71, portrayed himself as an all-American hero, a term that itself implies a stereotype. He was Sylvester Stallone meets John Wayne in tights — only fans could actually touch him and smell the sweat if the WWF came to town. Hogan presented as virtuous. He waved the American flag, never cheated to win, made sure 'good' always triumphed over 'evil.' He implored kids around the world: 'Train, say your prayers, eat your vitamins." Hogan did it all, hosting 'Saturday Night Live,' making movies, granting Make-A-Wish visits, even as he often strayed far from the advice that made him a 6-foot-8, 300-plus pound cash cow and one of the world's most recognizable entertainers. His muscles looked like basketballs, his promos electrified audiences — why was he yelling!?! — and he fabricated and embellished stories from his personal life all as he morphed into the personification of the 80s and 80s culture and excess. In the not-so-real world of professional wrestling, Hulk Hogan banked on fans believing in his authenticity. That belief made him the biggest star the genre has ever known. Outside the ring, the man born Terry Gene Bollea wrestled with his own good guy/bad guy dynamic, a messy life that eventually bled beyond the curtain, spilled into tabloid fodder and polluted the final years of his life. Hogan — who teamed with actor Mr. T in the first WrestleMania — was branded a racist. He was embroiled in a sex-tape scandal. He claimed he once contemplated suicide. All this came well after he admitted he burst into wrestling stardom not on a strict diet of workouts and vitamins, but of performance-enhancing drugs, notably steroids. The punches, the training, the grueling around-the-world travel were all real (the outcomes, of course, were not). So was the pain that followed Hogan as he was temporarily banished from WWE in his later years. He was the flawed hero of a flawed sport, and eventually not even wrestling fans, like a bad referee, could turn a blind eye to Hogan's discretions. His last appearance fizzled Hogan's final WWE appearance came this past January at the company's debut episode on Netflix. Hogan arrived months after he appeared at the Republican National Convention and gave a rousing speech -- not unlike his best 1980s promos -- in support of Donald Trump. Just a pair of the 1980s icons, who used tough talk and the perceived notion they could both 'tell it like it is,' to rise to the top. Only wrestling fans, especially one in the home of the Los Angeles event, had enough of Hogan. 'He was full-throated, it wasn't subtle, his support for Donald Trump,' said ESPN writer Marc Raimondi, who wrote the wrestling book 'Say Hello to the Bad Guys." 'I think that absolutely hurt him.' He didn't appear for an exercise in nostalgia or a vow that if he could just lace up the boots one more time, he could take down today's heels. No, Hogan came to promote his beer. Beer loosely coded as right-wing beer. No song was going to save him this time. Fed up with his perceived MAGA ties and divisive views, his racist past and a string of bad decisions that made some of today's stars also publicly turn on him, Hogan was about booed out of the building. This wasn't the good kind of wrestling booing, like what he wanted to hear when he got a second act in the 1990s as 'Hollywood' Hulk Hogan when controversy equaled cash. This was go-away heat. 'I think the politics had a whole lot to do with it,' Hogan said on 'The Pat McAfee Show' in February. Hogan always envisioned himself as the Babe Ruth of wrestling. On the back of Vince McMahon, now entangled in his own sordid sex scandal, Hogan turned a staid one-hour Saturday morning show into the land of NFL arenas, cable TV, pay-per-view blockbusters, and eventually, billon-dollar streaming deals. Once raised to the loftiest perch in sports and entertainment by fans who ate up everything the Hulkster had to say, his final, dismal appearance showed that even Hulk Hogan could take a loss. 'The guy who had been the master at getting what he wanted from the crowd for decades, he lost his touch,' Raimondi said. 'Very likely because of the things he did in his personal and professional life.' But there was a time when Hogan had it all. The fame. The championships. Riches and endorsements. All of it not from being himself, but by being Hulk Hogan. 'There's people in this business that become legends," Sgt. Slaughter said. 'But Hulk became legendary.'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store