New Documents Raise Questions About Natural Bridge Zoo Elephant Transfer Ahead of Virginia Raid
Newly obtained records are shedding light on the circumstances surrounding the transfer of Asha, an African elephant, from Natural Bridge Zoo in Virginia to Two Tails Ranch in Florida in December 2023. The documents, acquired by the nonprofit Free All Captive Elephants through a public records request, indicate that Florida veterinarian Dr. Mark Wilson notified the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission on December 1, 2023, that Asha was being transported due to a medical emergency. However, Florida wildlife investigators later determined that the required permit for interstate animal transfer had not been obtained prior to Asha crossing state lines. Investigators also found that a certificate of veterinary inspection issued on November 25, nearly a week before the trip, already listed Two Tails Ranch as Asha's destination, contradicting claims that there wasn't enough time to secure a permit. Furthermore, Wilson's reports from Asha's arrival in Florida did not document a medical problem, despit...
