Update On Elephant Habeas Corpus Case

We recently reported on a case in which an animal rights group, the Nonhuman Rights Project, sought habeas corpus relief for three Asian elephants maintained in a zoo in Connecticut. The Connecticut Appellate Court affirmed the lower court's judgment and ruled that the plaintiff had no standing because the elephants themselves had no standing.

It was reported yesterday that one of the animals, Beulah, had passed away at the age of 54. While the death of Beulah is a sad occasion, it should be noted that her reported age places her at the upper end of the longevity spectrum for African and Asian elephants. According to the Asian elephant webpage of the Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute: