DENVER — Thursday morning, representatives of the Nonhuman Rights Project (NhRP) and the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo went in front of the Colorado Supreme Court regarding the potential release of elephants from the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo.
This marks the second time that NhRP and zoo representatives have gone in front of the Colorado courts to have long time residents elephants, Missy, Kimba, Lucky, LouLou, and Jambo removed from the zoo and relocated to an elephant sanctuary.
The NhRP originally filed the lawsuit against Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in July 2023.
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The case was ultimately dismissed in an El Paso Court Room in December 2023.
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The NhRP has remained consistent in its argument that the five elephants in question are being held unlawfully and should be recognized under a habeas corpus petition.
"We maintain that these elephants have a common law right to bodily liberty," argues NhRP legal representative Jacob Davis.
The organization argues that the elephants have a right to their own autonomy, demanding a move to a sanctuary.
Former Colorado Springs Mayor and Cheyenne Mountain Zoo representative John Suthers argued that a previous court's decision ruled that the 'habeas corpus' petition does not apply to elephants.
He highlights the five full-time caretakers for these animals, with a total of 65 years of experience, that have a much stronger relationship than any representative from the NhRP.
During Thursday's hour long oral arguments, both sides pushed the judges to question the potential implications that granting a 'habeas corpus' petition for animals would have on future cases.
The Supreme Court will release their public opinion in the upcoming weeks.
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