LA Zoo elephants Billy and Tina's whereabouts a mystery amid possible relocation to Tulsa

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Where are Billy and Tina? Concern is growing among animal activists after the Los Angeles Zoo's two remaining Asian elephants appear to have been transferred.

It's believed Billy and Tina were moved in the middle of the night amid controversy and lawsuits surrounding their pending transfer to the Tulsa Zoo.

"It's just really too bad and there's a lot of broken hearts right now," said Judie Mancuso, the founder and president of Social Compassion in Legislation.

"We knew it was coming, with the shackles on them yesterday," Mancuso added.

Eyewitness News reached out to the L.A. Zoo and Mayor Karen Bass' office about the elephants' whereabouts but have not gotten a response.

AIR7 flew over their enclosure Tuesday and there was no sight of Billy or Tina - something that Eyewitness News was told is rare to see.

"It was done secretly and surreptitiously," said Melissa Lerner, who is part of the legal team that was trying to block the elephants' transfer.

There was an offer on the table to move the elephants to a large sanctuary in Tennessee for free. However, it appears L.A. Zoo director Denise Verret said no.

That's raising questions because Verret is also the chair of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums - the very organization that has deemed it safe and humane to send the elephants to Tulsa.

"There is very well-settled research that it's virtually impossible for a zoo to be a humane environment for an elephant to live in," Lerner said.

Animal activists say the elephants don't belong in zoos and want to see them moved to a sanctuary.

"How could the mayor listen to her?" Mancuso said. "Why would she pick listening to this zoo director, with special interests, over all of Los Angeles?"