Empty the Cages! Photos Show the Suffering of 80 Wild-Caught Baby Elephants in Zimbabwe
When news broke that 80 elephant calves had been rounded up by the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority to be sold to zoos, the world erupted in outrage.
The African elephant is a highly endangered species and it has been predicted that if humans continue to poach and capture these animals, their wild populations could be extinct within the next 20 years. And yet, the Zimbabwe government not only allowed this capture to take place, but in fact encouraged it. Why? Well, in the words of President Mugabe, because the country’s wildlife, ”needs to start paying dividends.”
According to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), the Zimbabwe population is not in direct threat of extinction, so as long as Zimbabwe’s government can find an “acceptable” home for the elephants, they are free to do so. (Yes, we realize how ridiculous this sounds.)
There has been much speculation over what the future will hold for these babies, but life in Chinese zoos seems to be the most likely ending.
After their initial capture, the calves were transported to a Hwange National Park holding facility. New photos, courtesy of Elephants DC, show the sad state to which these young elephants have been reduced. It is estimated that they are all four years old, at most, and the stress and pain associated with being torn from their mothers and families is taking a toll on both their physical and mental well-being.
Elephant behavioral expert Joyce Poole, examined the photos taken and expressed concern that the elephants all showed signs of stress and alarm.
Of this photo, Poole tells National Geographic, “[the elephant] is apprehensive about what it sees, hears, smells on the other side of the bars.”
According to Poole, the “pinched” look of this elephant’s face is not necessarily indicative of malnourishment, but seems to only occur in babyelephants who have lost their mothers.
Even elephants in the wild who have been orphanedcan be seen with this pinched look. It seems as if these babies wear their sorrow right on their faces.
Wendie Wendt, former executive director of the Big Life Foundation, tells National Geographic, “It’s clear that these elephants are not where they belong. They should be with their families out in the wild. They shouldn’t be in this horrific environment waiting to be shipped out to God knows what fate. It’s unconscionable.”
If these elephants appear stressed and alarmed in this holding facility, then we can only imagine the future distress they will experience in zoos. There is no questioning that this is not the sort of life that any animal deserves.
(sung by Phish, written by Henry Mancini):
Make believe you're in a jungle movie.
Watch the baby elephants go by.
The beat is groovy.
It's a brand new dance you ought to try,
Come to the jungle and see the animal attraction,
baby elephants in action walk.See the big baboon beat on the bongo
as the baby elephants advance.
Down in the Congo,
all the swinging monkeys do this dance,
Come to the jungle and see the animal attraction.
Baby elephants in action walk.If you plan on joining a safari,
don't get dressed for going on a cruise.
The thing to carry is an extra pair of dancing shoes.
Come to the jungle and see the animal attraction.
Baby elephants in action walk.
When news broke that 80 elephant calves had been rounded up by the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority to be sold to zoos, the world erupted in outrage.
The African elephant is a highly endangered species and it has been predicted that if humans continue to poach and capture these animals, their wild populations could be extinct within the next 20 years. And yet, the Zimbabwe government not only allowed this capture to take place, but in fact encouraged it. Why? Well, in the words of President Mugabe, because the country’s wildlife, ”needs to start paying dividends.”
According to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), the Zimbabwe population is not in direct threat of extinction, so as long as Zimbabwe’s government can find an “acceptable” home for the elephants, they are free to do so. (Yes, we realize how ridiculous this sounds.)
There has been much speculation over what the future will hold for these babies, but life in Chinese zoos seems to be the most likely ending.
After their initial capture, the calves were transported to a Hwange National Park holding facility. New photos, courtesy of Elephants DC, show the sad state to which these young elephants have been reduced. It is estimated that they are all four years old, at most, and the stress and pain associated with being torn from their mothers and families is taking a toll on both their physical and mental well-being.
Elephant behavioral expert Joyce Poole, examined the photos taken and expressed concern that the elephants all showed signs of stress and alarm.
Of this photo, Poole tells National Geographic, “[the elephant] is apprehensive about what it sees, hears, smells on the other side of the bars.”
According to Poole, the “pinched” look of this elephant’s face is not necessarily indicative of malnourishment, but seems to only occur in babyelephants who have lost their mothers.
Even elephants in the wild who have been orphanedcan be seen with this pinched look. It seems as if these babies wear their sorrow right on their faces.
Wendie Wendt, former executive director of the Big Life Foundation, tells National Geographic, “It’s clear that these elephants are not where they belong. They should be with their families out in the wild. They shouldn’t be in this horrific environment waiting to be shipped out to God knows what fate. It’s unconscionable.”
If these elephants appear stressed and alarmed in this holding facility, then we can only imagine the future distress they will experience in zoos. There is no questioning that this is not the sort of life that any animal deserves.
While the fate of these baby elephants may be out of our hands, we can all play a role to ensure that other animals elsewhere are no subjected to this form of cruelty by boycotting zoos and other facilities that hold wild animals for entertainment. These animals can only be truly free when we stop funding their captivity.
While we love and admire elephants, there are many places in the world (including the U.S.) where these majestic creatures are tortured and abused for human entertainment. In Thailand,elephant tourism runs rampant. These animals are taken from the wild and forced to endure a brutal “breaking” period of constant abuse, only to face a future where they will be used forcarrying tourists and spend their days in chains.
This is certainly not a life for any living creature, but given the intelligence and emotional capabilities of elephants, this is especially cruel. Thankfully, there are many people who are working to change things for elephants in Thailand.
This incredible video tells the story of Tracy, a school teacher from New Zealand who was inspired to spend two years raising funds to help rescue an elephant in Thailand. After learning about Jack Lanting, a teenager who had done the same years before, Tracy realized that she too could forever change the life of one abused elephant.
So, Tracy put her life on hold and went off to Thailand to save an elephant who had spent her entire life in chains. With the help of Lek Chailert from Elephant Nature Park and Lanting, Tracy was able to give this incredible animal a whole new life.
The compassion and motivation that Tracy exemplifies is powerful and moving and serves to remind us of the positive impact we can make if we put our minds to it.
A huge thank you to Tracy, Jack and the staff at Elephant Nature Park for making this all possible!
Don’t Let Retired Circus Animals Starve
Target: Lourdes Adriana Lopez Moreno, Chairwoman of the Environment Committee of the Mexican Congress
Goal: Allocate funding or donations to provide food, shelter and care for retired circus animals.
Circus owners are claiming that a recent federal ban in Mexico that forbids the use of animal acts in circuses is leaving them with no other option but to abandon or euthanize their animals. The ban is set to be enforced soon, but some states have already begun to enforce the new law. While the new ban is a step in the right direction towards protecting animals from the unnecessary cruelty of being forced to perform in a circus, some circus owners are claiming the ban leaves no solution for how the retired animals will be cared for.
The Associated Press reported that the head of Mexico’s circus owners’ association, Armando Cedeno, said the cost of caring for the animals in a time when his circus is facing decreased revenue is too much to handle. The ban protects lions, tigers, zebras, elephants and other animals, but caring for them can cost nearly $100 a day per animal.
Mexico’s Green Party worked to enact the ban and should be able to find a way to support these animals now that they are no longer able to be cared for by the circus. Whether it’s allocating government funding to set up shelters, or setting up fundraisers to collect donations in order to fund care, these animals cannot just be left to die when the ban was meant to care for their welfare. By signing this petition, you will encourage the Environment Committee of the Mexican Congress to support the care of these retired circus animals.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Chairwoman Lopez,
Circus owners are claiming that the recent federal ban on animal acts in circuses is placing pressure on them when it comes to caring for these now retired animals. They say they no longer have the financial means to provide food, shelter and care for the animals, and the only option is to let the animals starve without shelter or be euthanized. While I commend you for taking a stance against the horrific use of animals in circuses, something must be done to ensure these retired animals are not left to die.
I urge you to find a way to support these animals, whether through allocating government funding to set up shelters with food or care, or fundraising to receive donations to set up shelters. Please make sure that the ban was not in vain, and the welfare of these animals is still kept into consideration.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo credit: faceme via Flickr
Baby Elephant Walk Lyrics (sung by Phish, written by Henry Mancini):
Make believe you're in a jungle movie.
Watch the baby elephants go by.
The beat is groovy.
It's a brand new dance you ought to try,
Come to the jungle and see the animal attraction,
baby elephants in action walk.See the big baboon beat on the bongo
as the baby elephants advance.
Down in the Congo,
all the swinging monkeys do this dance,
Come to the jungle and see the animal attraction.
Baby elephants in action walk.If you plan on joining a safari,
don't get dressed for going on a cruise.
The thing to carry is an extra pair of dancing shoes.
Come to the jungle and see the animal attraction.
Baby elephants in action walk.
