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The zoo economy (classic)
Planet Money
The AZA and Calgary Zoo Give Up Their Elephants
The Association of Zoos and Aquariums has set up something that's kind of like a private craigslist. You don't get money or even some sort of abstract credit when you give up an animal. The winner, the National Zoo in Washington, D.C., had built this big new elephant complex. Calgary got major respect for putting the welfare of their elephants first.
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Speaker 2
Yeah, so they don't like the bartering system. Instead, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums has set up something that's kind of like a private craigslist. It's called the animal exchange. And it's a place where you list what animals you need and then you also list whatever animals you're trying to unload. Yeah,
Speaker 1
you don't get money or even some sort of abstract credit when you give up an animal. You get basically good karma. You get a good relationship with another zoo who might do you a favor, might give you an animal down the line. It's like one of those take a penny, leave a penny bowls, but with elephants. Speaking of elephants, Gabriella, why don't you bring us
Speaker 2
up to date on what happened with those elephants in Canada? So Calgary decided it was time to give up their elephants and focus elsewhere. But these elephants, they needed a new home. So they called up the AZA, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, and they drew up a list of possible zoos that might want these elephants. And then they took a road trip. They went and they visited all these zoos. They're different campuses. They looked at the homes, the dorms. And together, the AZA and Calgary Zoo picked a new home. And the winner, the
Speaker 1
National Zoo in Washington, D.C. They had built this big new elephant complex, a waiting pool, little sandbox. They had a $2 million donation to ship the elephants across the country, a whole convoy, veterinarians, the works. And of course, with all that money spent, the price for the elephants was
Speaker 2
zero. Nothing. So I went to visit them here in D.C. in their new home. And the elephants, they look pretty good. They're comfortable and actually kind of wrestling with one another, figuring out the social dynamic. And the crowds were pretty happy too. As for Calgary, on the
Speaker 1
balance sheet, they were the losers in this deal. They, of course, got no money for the elephants. But the karma system did seem to work. Calgary got major respect for putting the welfare of their elephants first, for setting them to a better place. And low and behold, other zoos sent Calgary extra animals that they had. Calgary got a new Indian rhino and Komodo dragons, for free, of course. Still on the list? Lemurs. Calgary wants black and white lemurs. Call them if you got them. Let's love
Speaker 6
snowmen. The story first ran in 2014.
Speaker 1
It was reported by Gabrielle Emmanuelle and me. And it was originally produced by Jess Jang. I'm Robert Smith. This is
Speaker 6
NPR. Thanks for listening.
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