The Toronto Zoo Loses its Accreditation Thanks to the Elephant Move
The Toronto Zoo has lost its stamp of approval with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, on Wednesday, as a direct result of city council’s decision to send their three elephants to an unaccredited animal sanctuary. In October, council voted 31-4 to send the animals to a Californian facility, PAWS, and the high-profile move will even be sponsored by former The Price is Right host Bob Barker.
Losing its accreditation puts the zoo’s species survival programs in jeopardy, and makes intra-zoo animal exchanges with other accredited facilities more challenging. Though the zoo’s giant panda exhibit still has the green light, this unrecognized Operation Dumbo Drop will no doubt have a damaging influence over the institution’s reputation. Doug E. Doug was unavailable for comment.
Rob Ford Says No to the Pride Parade
Toronto Mayor Rob Ford has declined an invitation to the city’s Pride Parade for the second year in a row, this time, citing an annual family visit to the cottage. Last summer, Ford was unable to attend for similar reasons, since the parade takes place over the Canada Day long weekend.
Ford earned a great deal of flak for last summer’s noticeable absence, which is sure to carry over to this year’s decision as well. No word has been reached as to whether the mayor will attend additional pride events during the other 10 days of the Toronto festival. Because really, prior commitments aside, doesn’t it just seem like a jolly good time?
Another Mel Gibson Rant Released in his Feud with Writer-Director Eszterhas
Following the cancellation of their collaborative film project, The Maccabees, by Warner Bros. Pictures, writer-director Joe Eszterhas and Mel Gibson have engaged in a very heated exchange of words, including a letter accusing the Lethal Weapon star of anti-Semitic and misogynistic remarks.
Read More: Mel Gibson Fights with Director, Supposedly Hates Jews… Again
Though Gibson has denied these claims, Eszterhas released an audio recording of a rant to The Wrap, where Gibson, in a rage, called his ex-girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva a “filthy c—sucking whore,” amongst other angry epithets. Classy, Mel.
—
Joanna Adams writes for Toronto Standard. Follow her on Twitter at†@nowstarringTO.
For more, follow us on Twitter at @TorontoStandard and subscribe to our newsletter.
