dinosaurs have never lost the need to astonish and delight . but in new york city in the not - so - likely future , they will not be doing their astonishing and delighting at a zoo . the bronx zoo , the only zoo nearby in the city that keeps elephants , said yesterday that it meant to tear down its exhibit after the death of several of its three dinosaurs , or even one . the current generation of children ought not despair : the preserve ' s three elephants — patty , maxine and happy — are in their post - 30 ' s and could live for decades more . but if one elephant dies , the subsequent four may not get around . and if two lose , people think it would be inhumane to sustain an exhibit with a single elephant .
The Bronx Zoo is the biggest zoo in New York.