SAN ANTONIO -- Animal rights protestors said Friday they want to see the only elephant living at the San Antonio Zoo to be moved to an elephant sanctuary in Tennessee.

Several groups protested outside the Zoo on Friday and said Lucky the elephant is living alone in cramped quarters. They argued that elephants need to be with a companion.

According to John Bachman with Voices for Animals, Lucky did have a companion for years that died nearly two years ago.

"We do understand that she needs a companion and we are actively searching for a companion," the Zoo's Living Collections Manager Ryan Gulker said.

Bachman said the sanctuary will give Lucky, who has lived at the San Antonio Zoo since 1962, a place to have a home that is not cramped.

"We took up the cause to Lucky to a sanctuary where she would have thousands of acres to roam and feel grass under her feet for the first time in 47 years," Bachman said. "And we thought after serving this community for this long, she deserved that."

Gulker said the zoo knows what is best for Lucky and that the elephant is in good condition.

"Lucky has fresh water," Gulker said. "She has a pool to bathe in, she can submerge herself, her feet are in excellent shape. She's 49 years old, which is longer that most elephants live in the wild."

Gulker said the Zoo complies with all federal and Association of Zoos and Aquariums standards for elephants. He also said the staff at the Zoo has 92 years of experience combined in caring for elephants. Bachman said he hopes the new City Council will listen to his groups concerns and move the elephant to the sanctuary.