Zoo Still Assailed for Elephant’s Death : Reaction: Protests over handling of Hannibal continue. Facility’s director backs call for an independent investigation.

As animal rights activists gathered for a memorial service and demonstration outside the Los Angeles Zoo, officials mounted a public relations offensive Saturday to calm criticism about the death of the zoo’s five-ton African bull elephant Hannibal during an ill-fated attempt to move him to a Mexican zoo.

Before a battery of television cameras, zoo Director Mark Goldstein endorsed calls by City Council members for an independent investigation of the elephant’s death, saying the public needs to know “the entire story” surrounding “a tragic loss.”

Goldstein said zoo officials have analyzed their handling of Hannibal on March 19 and 20 and would not have done anything differently.

The zoo director also announced that a preliminary autopsy by a team of Los Angeles County pathologists found that the tranquilized elephant died of cardiopulmonary collapse.

“There is nothing in this report that suggests, implies, or even leaves open the fact that malpractice or misjudgment was used in this process,” he said.

The tranquilized elephant had dropped to its knees in a specially designed shipping crate and could not be coaxed into standing, Goldstein said, adding that the stressful situation may have been a contributing factor in the elephant’s death.

Goldstein said the zoo will not house any African bull elephants until major renovations are performed--and none are contemplated for at least 10 years. Now, the zoo houses only Asian elephants and two female African elephants.

Since Hannibal died, the zoo has been besieged by telephone calls and letters from concerned individuals, some mourning the loss of Hannibal and some questioning the zoo’s handling of the elephant.

Anticipating more questions from weekend visitors, officials set up a table inside the zoo to explain circumstances of the elephant’s death. Leaflets explaining “What Happened to Hannibal” were distributed.

But the effort did nothing to allay the concerns of a crowd of about 250 demonstrators, some wearing black armbands and carrying protest signs. Rallying outside the zoo, they demanded an independent investigation of zoo management, increased oversight of zoo operations and an immediate halt to the shipment of animals.

After an hourlong service for Hannibal complete with a floral wreath, a burning candle and a special memorial song, demonstrators marched to the zoo gates and loudly chanted demands for Goldstein to meet with them.

While a steady stream of parents and children headed into the zoo, about 100 protesters stood at the entrance facing a line of Los Angeles police officers in riot gear. As police cameramen videotaped the protest, activists chanted “No more deaths to animals!” and “Goldstein come out, what have you got to hide?”

About two hours later, the demonstrators left peacefully without seeing Goldstein who, officials said, had departed for an appointment. The activists vowed to press their challenge to zoo management at the City Council.

Councilman Nate Holden joined several council colleagues who had called earlier for an investigation of Hannibal’s death. “What happened to Hannibal was shameful,” Holden said. “It should never happen again.”

Hannibal, a 16-year-old with a life expectancy of 60 to 80 years, was the third elephant to die at the zoo in the past decade.

He was being readied for a move to the Zacango Zoo in Toluca, Mexico, when he went down on his knees in the shipping crate and and would not stand up. Despite concern about his remaining in that position, zoo officials decided to leave Hannibal in the shipping crate overnight. He was discovered dead at 5:30 a.m.

Goldstein said the aggressive elephant posed a risk to handlers and to the public if he remained at the Los Angeles Zoo and needed to be taken to larger quarters.

He defended the decision to leave Hannibal in the crate overnight, saying zoo officials had no alternative other than to drag him out of the crate, which would have caused significant pain and trauma.

“We don’t see what we would have done differently even given the very tragic loss of a magnificent friend,” Goldstein said. “There was no abuse.”

A letter from the U. S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees animal welfare at zoos, concluded after a preliminary investigation that there were “no apparent violations” of federal law. The March 23 letter was distributed by Goldstein.

Bill Dyer, spokesman for the animal rights group, Last Chance for Animals, said: “The PR department of the zoo has been working overtime in putting the proper spin on Hannibal’s death.” But he said no amount of public relations can obscure the fact that Hannibal died “drugged and trapped in a shipping crate.”

Elliot M. Katz, a San Rafael veterinarian and member of In Defense of Animals, said zoo officials exercised poor judgment in trying to move Hannibal and put too much stress on him.

“It was dangerous,” he said. “I think they were determined to see that elephant get out (the zoo). They pushed it too hard.”

Katz called on zoo officials to halt all animal shipments, including the planned transfer of two gorillas to a New Mexico zoo soon. A Los Angeles Zoo spokeswoman said later that the transfer is being reviewed.

The demonstration drew mixed reactions from families visiting the zoo.

Steve Norris of South Pasadena called the controversy surrounding the death of an elephant “a silly cause and a non-issue” when “there are people starving in the world.” Los Angeles resident Deanne Paul questioned where her two young boys would go to see animals if there was not a zoo nearby.

“Are you supposed to travel to Africa?” she asked, adding there “has to be a middle ground.”