PITTSBURGH —

The operator and head of the Pittsburgh Zoo is facing a lawsuit filed by a Washington, D.C.-based animal rights nonprofit, which is asking for the release of the zoo's elephants from captivity.

Court documents obtained by Pittsburgh's Action News 4 on Tuesday said the lawsuit was filed by the Nonhuman Rights Project in Allegheny County Common Pleas Court on Tuesday. Advertisement

The lawsuit alleges that the elephants' space at the Pittsburgh Zoo is "grossly inadequate.” It urges the court to release the animals to a sanctuary or consider them as a candidate for rewilding.

"It is simply not possible to meet an elephant's physical, social, and emotional needs with a few acres; without adequate space, no zoo can suitably manage and care for elephants," the lawsuit said. "Th

See Full Page