The clock is ticking for Tina, the 59-year-old Asian elephant moved from the Los Angeles Zoo to the Tulsa Zoo in May 2025. She is now battling a serious uterine infection in Oklahoma, and a growing wave of activists, joined by actor Samuel L. Jackson, is demanding that she and longtime companion Billy be retired to an elephant sanctuary instead of spending their final years in a zoo. Tulsa Zoo veterinarians warn the condition can be life-threatening and say their treatment options are limited, a reality that has reignited an already heated debate over zoo life versus sanctuary care.
In a March 9 update, the Tulsa Zoo said an ultrasound had revealed an infection and abnormal buildup of fluid in Tina’s uterus. Because of her size and advanced age, the zoo reported that “antibiotics alone will not fully resolve the infection.” Staff say Tina is not showing obvious signs of discomfort, remains “bright and engaged,” and is being monitored closely with her treatment adjusted on a daily basis.
Hollywood heavyweight Samuel L. Jackson has now stepped into the fray, lending his name to an international coalition urging the Tulsa Zoo to move the elephants to a sanctuary. In a statement distributed by In Defense of Animals, Jackson warned that “continued exploitation and denial of their freedom is making them worse, and time is running out!”
Their move to Oklahoma has been contentious from the start. The Los Angeles Zoo says it transferred Billy and Tina after the deaths of two older herd members left the facility below Association of Zoos and Aquariums guidelines that recommend a minimum of three Asian elephants. In a May 2025 statement, the L.A. Zoo said it had explored sanctuary options but that the AZA’s Elephant Species Survival Plan ultimately recommended Tulsa, citing available space, staff expertise, and herd dynamics.
Advocates have never bought that conclusion. They argue that multiple accredited sanctuaries had already stepped up with offers to house the elephants. The Los Angeles Times reports that In Defense of Animals and local groups say sanctuaries in Georgia and Cambodia agreed to accept the pair, and that the Performing Animal Welfare Society in Northern California has indicated it would take Billy and, likely, Tina as well.
Legal Fight Keeps Pressure On Officials
The clash over Tina and Billy has also spilled into court. The Nonhuman Rights Project filed a habeas petition last year and later supplemented its filings after the elephants were moved, arguing that the transfer violated the animals’ rights and noting that the relocation reportedly happened in the early morning hours to avoid protesters. Activists sought emergency orders to stop the move, but a judge denied a temporary restraining order, according to legal filings from the Nonhuman Rights Project and contemporaneous coverage detailed by AP News.
For now, Tulsa Zoo officials are holding their ground. They point to a recently expanded elephant habitat, a 17-acre complex that includes a newly built 36,650-square-foot barn, which they say gives staff flexibility to manage geriatric care and herd socialization while keeping a close watch on Tina’s condition. Activists counter that specialized sanctuaries are better equipped for intensive, long-term medical and behavioral care for aging elephants, and that Tina’s diagnosis only underscores the urgency of getting her out of the zoo. Caught in the middle, Billy and Tina have become symbols in a larger fight over how modern city zoos should balance population plans, accreditation standards, and the welfare of animals growing old in public view.
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