Former LA Zoo elephant Tina is ill; Samuel L. Jackson and activists sought sanctuary

Nearly a year after the Los Angeles Zoo moved Billy and Tina to Oklahoma, animal rights activists have maintained a call to move the elephants to a sanctuary. Recently, actor Samuel L. Jackson joined their list of supporters.

On a night last May, two Asian elephants were transported in shipping containers to the Tulsa Zoo, where their LA keepers said they would join a herd large enough for public animal welfare — something the LA Zoo can’t provide.

But animal welfare groups say the pachyderms are no better off in their new home, citing concerns for their physical and mental health.

Tina, 59, is battling a uterine infection and Billy, 40, may face having his sperm removed, according to Courtney Scott, an elephant veteran with In Defense of Animals.

The pair had already been exhibiting “relentless stress behavior” in LA, Scott said, such as head-butting, shaking and gesticulating. In Tulsa, “that seemed to be growing.”

How do they know? A volunteer from Elephant Guardians of Los Angeles visited twice and chronicled their situation through photos and videos, he said.

Scott’s group ranked the Tulsa Zoo among the 10 worst for elephants last year, saying it suffered from overcrowding and a checkered breeding program.

Jackson, of “Pulp Fiction” and Marvel fame, said the sanctuaries are willing to take Tina and Billy. The continued exploitation and deprivation of their freedom only makes them worse, and time is running out!” Jackson said in a statement provided by In Defense of Animals.

Jackson is the latest star to sing. Cher, Lily Tomlin and the late Bob Barker have them previously spoke for Billywho arrived at the LA Zoo in 1989.

At the Tulsa Zoo, which did not respond to requests for comment, Billy and Tina are now part of a group that includes five other Asian elephants. The zoo’s elephant complex spans 17 acres and includes a medical reserve that is not open to the public and a 36,650-square-foot barn.

This month, the zoo announced that Tina had an infection and an abnormal build-up of fluid in her uterus. The statement describes it as a side effect of reproductive tract disease, which she had a history of before coming to the zoo and is common in older female elephants.

“There are very limited options other than antibiotics and, unfortunately, antibiotics alone will not fully resolve the infection,” the zoo said. “That fact is difficult to share, but it is important to make it clear that this situation can be dangerous to life.”

Tina shows no signs of discomfort and remains “bright and feisty” and “greeting her keepers,” according to the zoo.

Billy and Tina have lived together for more than 15 years and share a strong bond, according to the LA Zoo. They communicate by touching their trunks, sniffing and vocalizing.

Billy comes from a herd in Malaysia that was rounded up to clear land for oil palm and rubber plantations, according to the zoo. He came to LA at the age of 4 as part of the Malaysian government’s effort to relocate young elephants to zoos in the late 1980s.

In 2009, Tina came to the San Diego Zoo to be rehabilitated after being taken from a private owner. He was taken to the LA Zoo the following year.

For years, animal welfare activists and other politicians tried to force the LA Zoo to move the elephants to a larger facility that, they said, would provide a better quality of life.

The LA Zoo, however, has a long history he defended care given to its elephants and did not reveal the health reasons for Billy and Tina’s migration in 2025.

According to an online FAQ, that decision stems from the deaths of two older herd members — Jewel and Shaunzi — who died in 2023 and 2024, respectively, from age-related health reasons. Without them, the zoo no longer meets the Assn. of Zoos and Aquariums standards that require accredited zoos to have at least three Asian elephants.

The zoo said it would not be possible to bring in more elephants, so it made the “difficult decision” to move Billy and Tina, according to a statement last year.

“The care and welfare of the animals remains a priority and decisions affecting the animals are made at the discretion of the Zoo Director – an authority granted in the Los Angeles City Charter,” the statement said. “The agendas and protests of activists are not a consideration in decisions affecting animal care.”

The zoo said it has spoken with sanctuaries approved by the Assn. of Zoos and Aquariums when weighing what to do with elephants, but elephant experts from around the country recommend the Tulsa Zoo as the perfect couple. Criteria included location, resources, staff expertise and herd strength.

Denise Verret, director of the LA Zoo, noted at the LA City Council’s budget meeting last year that The Toronto Zoo has lost its accreditation in 2012 by sending its elephants to the sanctuary at the direction of the Toronto City Council.

LA City Councilman Bob Blumenfield, a long-time advocate for the elephants, has filed a motion to halt their transportation until the City Council reviews the feasibility of sending them to the sanctuary. An LA resident filed a lawsuit over the zoo’s decision to stop the transfer of the elephants. Neither attempt was successful, but the activists have not given up.

Sanctuaries in Georgia and Cambodia have agreed to take Billy and Tina, according to Scott. Another, the Performing Animal Welfare Society in Northern California, has said it will take in Billy and, possibly, Tina, he said.

“You can just sit down,” he said, “and find a good one for the elephants.”