Jumbo Ghosts: The Dangerous Life of Elephants in the Zoo

Rating:
Summary: Intriguing Life of Elephants in Zoos
Review: This nonfiction book looks at the life of elephants in zoos. Since Dr. Schmidt was the zoo veterinarian of the Portland, Oregon, zoo for 25 years, he was entrusted with the health and well being of the herd of elephants that lived at the zoo.

Whatever your beliefs about animal rights, you will be interested to read about today's zoos. Dr. Schmidt traces the history of elephants used as tools of war and as laborers in the forests. He shows how the life of labor that these animals lived was more suitable to them than the lives they now lead in sterile, cramped cages in the zoo.

What are our responsibilities to these animals and how can we change their living conditions? There are no easy answers to these questions. This is a book that disturbs me. Will I continue to look for the answers? Perhaps. If you have thoughts about something that intrigues you, you may look into a book for the answer. However, I believe some books are written to ask important questions rather than to provide the answers.