World Animal Protection has listed the Elmvale Jungle Zoo among several “roadside zoos” in the province it inspected over the summer that left them with concerns for the well-being of the animals on site.
The Elmvale Jungle Zoo, which opened in 1967, is located on County Road 27, about 20 minutes north of Barrie in Springwater Township.
“In the summer of 2022, a number of Ontario zoos, wildlife displays and zoo-type exhibits housing wild animals were visited by experienced World Animal Protection staff educated and trained in captive wildlife husbandry and welfare,” Michèle Hamers, a wildlife campaign manager for World Animal Protection, noted in a complaint submitted to the Provincial Animal Welfare Services (PAWS) Inspectorate.
Hamers noted the organization wanted to register its concern about numerous areas of non-compliance with the provisions of the Ontario Regulation 444/19: Standards of Care and Administrative Requirements under the Provincial Animal Welfare Services Act that were encountered during those visits.
The visited facilities were selected based on their accessibility (i.e., open to the public), the size and variety of their animal collection and the absence of an official affiliation or recognition from a professional industry association, said Hamers, who added in order to obtain uninterrupted data collection, zoo owners and staff were not notified about visits. Instead, observers purchased an admission ticket.
“On the day of each zoo visit, the number and types of animal species observed were logged. The number and types of species not observed during the visit, but nevertheless reported by the facility through enclosure signs or visitor information provided at the entrance, were also recorded," Hamers said. "In addition, observations were documented of factors critical for meeting animal health and welfare and visitor health and safety standards as set out in the Ontario Regulation Standards of Care and Administrative Requirements.”
After visiting these facilities and observing hundreds of enclosures, Hamers said World Animal Protection staff found numerous provisions in the provincial requirements were not being complied with.
During a visit to Elmvale Jungle Zoo on June 28, 2022, staff claim to have observed a lion kept in an undersized enclosure, which does not allow for engagement in a range of natural behaviours including running, leaping, climbing, and digging. As well, no meaningful features or furnishings, other than an elevated platform, were provided to the animal resulting in the lion not able to engage in full range of natural behaviours.
World Animal Protection staff also claimed to have witnessed “a highly social bird" — a bare-eyed cockatoo — housed alone.
As a result of the visit, Hamers noted World Animal Protection was urging provincial inspectors to visit the site in order to further investigate the “health of the specific animals as well as the housing circumstances highlighted in this complaint.” They also recommended a “thorough review of all facilities, in its entirety, to identify other possible violations of the PAWS Act standards and to take appropriate measures to address them.”
Elmvale Jungle Zoo officials also responded to the report.
“PAWS had been contacted by World Animal Protection Canada regarding their concerns. PAWS then came here to inspect those concerns and I believe it would be best to contact PAWS to receive their answers regarding their inspection of our animals,” Elmvale Jungle Zoo manager Michel Persi wrote in an email.
Brent Ross, a spokesperson for the Ministry of the Solicitor General, confirmed that Animal Welfare Services is conducting an inspection at Elmvale Jungle Zoo, but said given the inspection is ongoing, it would be inappropriate to provide further detail at this time. No timeline on the inspection has been given.
