Bob Barker Donates $1.5 Million to LA Zoo

The donation is for helping Billy the elephant.

Along with about 200 Los Angeles Zoo employees, children and community members gathered today at City Hall, rock guitarist Slash pledged his support for completing the zoo’s Pachyderm Forest. But the opposition had its own celebrity endorsement, this one with a $1.5 million donation, courtesy of former “Price is Right” host Bob Barker.

The planned future home to 23-year-old Billy the elephant, the Pachyderm Forest is a $42-million, 6-acre proposal that began in 2006, but was put on hold a month ago. Some animal-rights activists said the area still would not provide enough roaming room, and Los Angeles City Councilman Tony Cardenas suggested that the zoo’s lone Asian elephant be sent instead to the Performing Animal Welfare Society, a sanctuary in San Andreas.

The donation will go towards moving Billy to PAWS.