Commentary > Letters
Philadelphia Zoo Update
Letter to the Editor
It’s not often one receives letters written in purple crayon, carefully inscribed with the words: “good by elafents”. But as our two African elephants, Kallie and Bette, left the Philadelphia Zoo for their new home, I received and was touched by such heartfelt sentiments and thousands more.
In the days preceding their departure, nearly 35,000 friends and admirers of Kallie and Bette came to wish them well as they prepared for their journey to the new International Conservation Center. Thank you - your support demonstrated how that these two majestic animals made an everlasting impact on your lives.
Bette and Kallie, I am pleased to report, are doing great in their new home and are playing a vital role in helping promote the cause of elephants worldwide. Even though we do not have elephants at the Zoo any longer, we continue to be involved with elephant conservation as both Asian and African populations are in peril throughout the world. We’re currently providing support to the Bornean Elephant Conservation Unit in Sabah (Malaysian Borneo) which also benefits other wildlife in this region, including orangutans.
I hope you’ll join us as we continue to celebrate our 150th Anniversary throughout the year. With engaging programs and new and dynamic exhibits both now and on the horizon; our future has never looked more exciting. I’m certain that with your input and involvement, the next 150 years will be as momentous as the first. Together, we can build the strong and lasting connections that continue to make the Zoo a place of pride and a cornerstone of this great region.
Sincerely, Vikram Dewan
President & CEO, Philadelphia Zoo
In the days preceding their departure, nearly 35,000 friends and admirers of Kallie and Bette came to wish them well as they prepared for their journey to the new International Conservation Center. Thank you - your support demonstrated how that these two majestic animals made an everlasting impact on your lives.
Bette and Kallie, I am pleased to report, are doing great in their new home and are playing a vital role in helping promote the cause of elephants worldwide. Even though we do not have elephants at the Zoo any longer, we continue to be involved with elephant conservation as both Asian and African populations are in peril throughout the world. We’re currently providing support to the Bornean Elephant Conservation Unit in Sabah (Malaysian Borneo) which also benefits other wildlife in this region, including orangutans.
I hope you’ll join us as we continue to celebrate our 150th Anniversary throughout the year. With engaging programs and new and dynamic exhibits both now and on the horizon; our future has never looked more exciting. I’m certain that with your input and involvement, the next 150 years will be as momentous as the first. Together, we can build the strong and lasting connections that continue to make the Zoo a place of pride and a cornerstone of this great region.
Sincerely, Vikram Dewan
President & CEO, Philadelphia Zoo
Copyright © 2010 - The Bulletin