Celebs put weight behind elephant cause

Celebrities who want to remove elephants from the Los Angeles Zoo say living there can harm their health and shorten their lives.

Lily Tomlin said on Thursday that she thinks "the word zoo is elephant-speak for Guantanamo."

Tomlin joined Bob Barker, Robert Culp and Kathryn Joosten of Desperate Housewives at a news conference.

The celebs and Councilman Tony Cardenas oppose a $40 million ($NZ68.62 million), 6-acre (2.4-hectare) elephant enclosure the zoo is building. Cardenas says it's too small and instead wants funding for a 60-acre (24-hectare) sanctuary in the San Fernando Valley.

Activists say 13 elephants have died at the zoo since 1975.

Zoo Director John Lewis says the new exhibit will be large enough to make the elephants safe and comfortable.