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Free Shackled and Isolated Elephant to Sanctuary.
Target: Mr. Maroof Afzal, Chairman of the Capital Development Authority, Islamabad
Petition: Click Here To Sign!
Goal: Move elephant that has been living alone in shackles to a sanctuary where he can happily live out the rest of his life.
Kaavan is the only elephant at the Marghazar Zoo and has been for the last 28 years. For many of those years, he was shackled on all four feet. Elephants are social animals and travel in herds and establish deep connections with other elephants in the wild. Marghazar Zoo has been robbing Kaavan of basic needs for nearly three decades.
Earlier this year, animal rights supporter Samar Khan visited the zoo herself. Upon arriving, she saw the horror that Kaavan was living in. All four of Kaavan’s legs were chained up and the elephant did not move from his one spot for over 45 minutes. She stated that the only thing the elephant moved was his head that was swinging left and right repeatedly. Ms. Khan couldn’t let Kaavan live like this anymore. She spread the word about Kaavan’s condition in Islamabad, Pakistan, and started a petition to help the elephant.
The response was great and the Capital Development Authority ordered the removal of Kaavan’s chains. However, Kaavan is still stuck alone. Sign this petition below and demand the Capital Development Authority to move Kaavan to a proper sanctuary where he can happily live out the rest of his days.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Mr. Chairman Afzal,
Recently, you demanded the Marghazar Zoo remove the chains from the legs of Kaavan the elephant. Thank you very much for seeing how cruel it was to keep Kaavan chained up. However, Kaavan has also been in solitude for the past 28 years. This neglect is just as cruel as the chains.
Elephants are social animals. In the wild, elephants travel in herds and establish deep connections with other elephants. He is demonstrating many psychological issues like repeatedly swaying his head back and forth. It is time to move Kaavan to a sanctuary where he can live a happier and healthier life among other elephants.
Please see that this solitude is just as damaging to Kaavan as the chains were.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Heather Norwood
Don’t Let Hunter Ship Tusks of Murdered Elephant.
Target: Ralf Kunkel, Head of Corporate Communication, Berlin Tegel Airport
Petition: Click Here To Sign!
Goal: Stop the import of hunting trophies into international airport.
Recently, another animal was lost to trophy hunters. This time it was an elephant said to be one of the largest killed in the last 50 years. The man who shot down this innocent creature is Rainer Schorr. He is the CEO of a German investment and real estate company and reportedly paid $60,000 to kill the elephant. He wants to ship the elephant’s tusk back to his home in Germany. Take action to demand that the main international airport in Germany refuse to allow him to ship back these animal parts.
This elephant has no name, however Zimbabwean photographic safari operator, Anthony Kaschula, stated that “in all of my years of guiding, I’ve never seen an elephant of this size, and you can speak to a generation or two above me who would say the same.” The elephant killed was a tusker, which is the term for a male elephant with large tusks. Tuskers are typically sought out by hunters due to the value of their tusks. Tuskers’ offspring usually grow up into tuskers as well. However, hunting has reduced the population of tuskers in the wild.
This elephant was estimated to be about 50 years old. His tusks weighed about 120 pounds each, which is almost unheard of nowadays. Now, Rainer Schorr wants to ship these tusks into Germany, presumably with other parts of the elephant as well. Demand the Berlin Tegel Airport, the main airport for international travel, to ban Schorr from bringing back parts of a murdered animal.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Mr. Ralf Kunkel,
Recently, German citizen, Rainer Schorr, traveled to Zimbabwe and paid $60,000 to hunt and kill an elephant. Schorr hunted down one of the largest elephants killed in the last 50 years. His tusks weighed about 120 pounds each, which is almost unheard of nowadays. Male elephants with tusks this large are referred to as tuskers. Tusker populations are very low now due to over-hunting.
Now, Schorr wants to import these tusks, presumably along with other parts of the elephant, into Germany. We’re asking you to not allow Schorr to import these pieces of a dead animal and to put a ban on the import of hunting trophies in the future. Banning the import of hunting trophies would make it much more difficult for hunters to get their trophies back into their country of residence. This could save thousands of animals, help keep a stable ecosystem, and help with the tusker population. Please consider all the benefits to this ban.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo credit: Stuart Basil
Elephant Rescued From Life in the Tourism Industry Greeted Like an Old Friend in Her Sanctuary Home. Elephant Nature Park (ENP) is a large animal sanctuary located in Chai Mai, Northern Thailand that takes in elephants who have been the victim of Thailand’s many cruel elephant fueled industries. For old and injured elephants like Jai Dee and Mee Sook, the kind people at ENP are their only hope for rescue.
Mee Sook, who was most likely stolen from her mother at an early age, spent the majority of her life giving rides to tourists in southern Thailand. Despite her age and injuries, she was forced to work every day in the searing heat, with a barbed chain around her leg. Luckily for her, she was found by the people at ENP and they were able to arrange her rescue.
Rescuing an elephant is never an easy thing, but the good folks at ENP have rescued so many elephants that they are quickly becoming pros.
These graceful and highly intelligent animals are reported to have a complex social structure and incredible memories. They may also have impeccable manners, as we see in this video, where Jai Dee politely extend her trunk to welcome the newcomer. Then, in a moment of pure excitement, they clearly recognize each other, and go in for a big hug! Although it is as of yet unclear to ENP, it seems that Jai Dee and Mee Sok might have worked together in the past – or they simply recognized the shared suffering they had each experienced in their lives and instantly bonded. Either way, there is no denying the amazing empathy and joy they show for one another.
This heartwarming video is proof positive that elephants do have feelings and may even remember their friends, just like people. It is impossible to say when these two elephants met or what experiences they shared. But it is clear that the shared experience will be the foundation of a new friendship, as these two ladies enjoy their retirement together at ENP. All image source: Elephant Nature Park
How Zoos are Distorting Our View of the Natural World. For thousands of years, humans have put wild animals on display for the sake of our entertainment. The earliest zoos were merely collections of exotic animals that served as a way to flaunt one’s wealth. These animals lived in luxurious cages that hardly resembled any life they would lead in the wild. It wasn’t until the early 1900s in Germany that an emphasis was placed on ensuring animals had natural looking habitats while in captivity. Efforts to improve the environment for captive animals increased from there and slowly evolved into the modern zoo habitats many of us are familiar with today.
Zoos have gone to incredible lengths to manufacture an environment for the animals they hold that seems “just like the wild.” They’ve created elaborate habitats with trees and even added “enrichment” activities to ensure the animals stay engaged.
The purpose of keeping wild animals in captivity has also “evolved” from being an elaborate way to show one’s wealth to a highly organized practice that is allegedly grounded in “conservation, education, and scientific research.” Many Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) accredited institutions pride themselves on the money they donate to habitat restoration and rehabilitation projects, along with the elaborate Species Survival Plans in place for their captive animals.
By constructing a false habitat in which the animals can have some semblance of an environment like the one they’d have in the wild, and continuing to breed and populate these habitats, zoos have created a skewed image of what the natural world is meant to be like and in so doing, perpetuated the misconception that animals can be “okay” in captivity.
When we take a step back and deconstruct how zoos operate, the true cost of captivity becomes readily evident.
Acquiring Zoo Animals
While people happily pay to see animals in zoos, one thing they might not be so quick to consider is where the animals came from. Sadly, animals like lions and elephants didn’t just decide to put themselves on display; they were either captured from the wild – or their parents were.
Early zoos that took animals from the wild for their collections lacked the understanding to grasp how their actions could also compromise wild herds. Today, we are well aware of the impact that taking animals from the wild has on the population – yet, zoos continue to do this – and sometimes in the name of conservation.
Take the instance of elephants, recent research has revealed that when baby elephants are captured from their herds and taken away, it takes and emotional toll on both the young ones and their entire families. Elephants live in complex matriarchal societies, and the consequences of removing individuals from the herd could very well be irreversible. Of course, the reality presented to zoo patrons is dodgy yet simple: elephants are highly endangered and accredited facilities are doing everything in their power to conserve the species.
Many zoos also have Species Survival Plans that are complex breeding programs that allow them to maintain captive populations. Today, these accredited institutions rely on breeding and trading their animals, to maintain genetic diversity, through a complex network known as the AZA exchange. In some cases, propagating these captive animals has been incredibly successful, and in others, a complete failure. Yet it’s rare (only a handful of cases) that these efforts to breed wild animals in zoological settings lead to the subsequent release of the animal, despite constant reassurance that repopulation is possible thanks to captive breeding.
It’s unusual for zoo patrons to hear of the unsuccessful attempts to breed in captivity and whether the animals are breeding naturally or via artificial insemination, both disclosures that could potentially lead visitors to question whether or not these animals should continue to be kept in captivity. Despite accredited facilities’ reluctance to concede to these failures publicly, it’s always a celebration, often heard all over the world, when breeding attempts are successful. After all, so long as animals are breeding and giving birth in captivity, things can’t be that bad, right?
Stereotypic Behaviors in Captivity
Although zoos may attempt to get wild animals to assimilate into their captive environment, the fact is that these animals will always be wild at heart, and no amount of fake trees or square mileage of grassland will fool them into thinking a zoo is the same as being in their native habitat.
Zoochosis is a term that was coined in 1992 to characterize zoo animals that exhibited some kind of abnormal behavior while in captivity. These stereotypic behaviors, as it would turn out, are indicative of stress brought on confinement. Albeit most large zoos do often spend millions of dollars and take years to reconstruct select exhibits, they pale in comparison to the natural environment where animals can roam without restrictions and express a wide range of natural behaviors.
Although stereotypic behaviors can be observed in a wide variety of captive animals, it’s incredibly pertinent in captive animals with complex social lives like primates and elephants. Pacing, bar biting, head bobbing, neck twisting, regurgitation, and self-mutilation are just a few of the stereotypic behaviors seen in captivity. Because zoos don’t willingly offer this information to the public, many zoo patrons believe the behaviors they’re observing are normal. In many cases, they can even seem amusing.
The environment zoos present to the public is entirely artificial, the animals nothing like their wild counterparts. This, of course, isn’t to say that they’re somehow domesticated or that they’ve lost their instincts. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. The demonstration of zoochotic behaviors in captivity shows that these wild animals are bored and frustrated in their zoo environments. Zoos may succeed in fooling people into thinking their habitats are natural, but they cannot fool the animals.
What Do We Really Learn From Zoos?
One of the most commonly used justifications for zoos is the idea that people will only care about animals if they see them in person. While getting to interact with a majestic wild animal is undoubtedly a life changing experience, is seeing an animal in the zoo really the same as seeing one of their wild counterparts?
A study published by Conservation Biology last year found that 62 percent of the 2,800 children interviewed, “showed no indication of having learned new information about animal or environmental conservation.” Still, zoological institutions continue to suggest that the environment allows for an educational experience. Perhaps, this is because displaying wild animals inside cages and behind bars in habitats that only remotely resemble their native habitat, in reality, does little to foster respect for wild animals.
In fact, it only further perpetuates the idea that these animals are ours to view and observe. It seems like there has been an increase in captivity trends recently where the animal’s habitats are being upgraded to enhance the viewing experience for paying customers under the guise of expanding the animal’s enclosures and giving them more space. Take for example, SeaWorld’s Blue World plan. By expanding their captive orca’s tanks and more glass windows to view the animals, the park is really working to make customers more content with their viewing experience. They can get virtually as close as possible to these massive wild animals without worrying about getting hurt.
The bottom line is that one thing and one thing alone matters for zoos, and any other attraction that involves wild animals: profit.
We Can Do Better
Modern zoos have managed to set a precedent for the rest of the public, that observing animals in captivity is somehow ordinary, and the animal’s behavior in these settings is normal. Our understanding of the complexities of the wild animals held in captivity have far surpassed anything biologists, and scientists could have imagined when the first zoos opened thousands of years ago, and with that knowledge comes responsibility. Accredited zoos would like the public to believe the welfare of their animals in priority, but no amount of replicating or expanding will supersede the life they would experience in the wild.
With the news of Ringling Bros retiring their elephants and The California Coastal Commission announcing SeaWorld will only be permitted to expand their tanks if they end their breeding program, it’s clear that the animal welfare movement is at a crucial moment in time. As activists, we need to urge accredited institutions to move away from facilities that tailor to the public’s entertainment and instead towards those that are comparable to sanctuaries for the welfare of the captive animals. As Green Monsters, are you ready for that? Lead image source: Wikimedia
Julie
Larsen Maher ©WCS
Plus, View New Elephant
PSA!
IDA’s Elephant and Cetacean Scientist, Dr. Toni Frohoff, just returned from three pachyderm-packed days at the Elephant Summit in Wyoming, September 27-29. This year, the Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival began with a laser-sharp focus on elephant conservation and brought out some of the best and brightest elephant specialists from around the world. While there, some participants were able to jointly create a PSA that we hope you will watch, "like" (if inclined) and share. It starts with Dr. Joyce Poole and ends with Dr. Cynthia Moss. You can view it here.
Fortunately, this Summit was more than a forum for experts to show off their latest tricks and projects. From beginning to end, this event was "no-nonsense, roll-up-your-sleeves and come up with solutions because time is running out for the elephants" endeavor. Those sleeves remained appropriately furled the entire time as specialists in science, conservation, policy, advocacy, government, film, media, artists ... you name it, worked together to find common ground for collaboration on the most hazardous issues facing elephants globally. And the issues, and each level and manner in which they need to be addressed, are truly serious and we will be sharing them with you. Click here to read more.
Lifelike Sculpture Of Dead Elephant Captures The Horror Of Poaching. Every 15 minutes, an African elephant is killed for its ivory. According to National Geographic, over 100,000 elephants have been brutally murdered by poachers in the last three years alone, with up to 300 animals being gunned down by machine guns in single, mass poaching events. Africa has already lost 60 percent of its wild elephants and if this rate continues, the species is expected to go extinct within the next ten years. For those of us who have never seen a wild African elephant, or even ivory for that matter, it is difficult to imagine the magnitude of the situation, or how it affects us all. But in this world, everything is interconnected.
In an attempt to draw attention to the atrocity of ivory poaching, artist Kevin Van Braak submitted this thought provoking piece to the international outdoor art exhibit Lustwarande, in Tilburg, Netherlands. This life-sized wooden sculpture depicts an elephant carcass with the tusks carved out, inviting us to see up close and in gory detail, the terrible sight that so many rangers are finding every day.
Carved out of teak, the delicate details in this sculpture are so realistic that they truly capture the butchery that threatens each of these animals every day. Looking lifelessly ahead, the eyes seem to ask the question that all of us must start to ask ourselves, “Is this how it will end for all of Africa’s elephants?”
With ivory fetching up to $3,000 per kilo in China, elephant poaching is, unfortunately, big business. Funded by international crime and terrorist groups, many of these poachers are highly organized and armed, with machine guns, grenades, and other black market military weapons. They are not only a danger to elephants; each year hundreds of rangers are killed trying to protect these animals. In a vicious circle, much of the money that these groups earn from selling poached tusks goes to support corrupt politicians, organized crime, terrorism and paramilitary rebel operations, all over the world. If real action is not taken to put an end to this, the bloody cycle will continue to claim lives, both animal and human, making the elephant problem everyone’s problem, indeed. All image source: Kevin Van Braak.
A message to the Washington
voters -- help protect animals like the elephant, lion, and rhino from
extinction.
We are DETERMINED to do everything in our power to get I-1401 PASSED in Washington state. Are you with us?
Chip
in $5 or more now to help Washington say YES to I-1401
We don't have many days
left until our November
3rd election. We can't risk missing this deadline.
Chip in right now to make sure we have the support we need to WIN on Election Day >>
Target: Mr. Maroof Afzal, Chairman of the Capital Development Authority, Islamabad
Petition: Click Here To Sign!
Goal: Move elephant that has been living alone in shackles to a sanctuary where he can happily live out the rest of his life.
Earlier this year, animal rights supporter Samar Khan visited the zoo herself. Upon arriving, she saw the horror that Kaavan was living in. All four of Kaavan’s legs were chained up and the elephant did not move from his one spot for over 45 minutes. She stated that the only thing the elephant moved was his head that was swinging left and right repeatedly. Ms. Khan couldn’t let Kaavan live like this anymore. She spread the word about Kaavan’s condition in Islamabad, Pakistan, and started a petition to help the elephant.
The response was great and the Capital Development Authority ordered the removal of Kaavan’s chains. However, Kaavan is still stuck alone. Sign this petition below and demand the Capital Development Authority to move Kaavan to a proper sanctuary where he can happily live out the rest of his days.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Mr. Chairman Afzal,
Recently, you demanded the Marghazar Zoo remove the chains from the legs of Kaavan the elephant. Thank you very much for seeing how cruel it was to keep Kaavan chained up. However, Kaavan has also been in solitude for the past 28 years. This neglect is just as cruel as the chains.
Elephants are social animals. In the wild, elephants travel in herds and establish deep connections with other elephants. He is demonstrating many psychological issues like repeatedly swaying his head back and forth. It is time to move Kaavan to a sanctuary where he can live a happier and healthier life among other elephants.
Please see that this solitude is just as damaging to Kaavan as the chains were.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Heather Norwood
----------------------------------------------------
Don’t Let Hunter Ship Tusks of Murdered Elephant.
Target: Ralf Kunkel, Head of Corporate Communication, Berlin Tegel Airport
Petition: Click Here To Sign!
Goal: Stop the import of hunting trophies into international airport.
This elephant has no name, however Zimbabwean photographic safari operator, Anthony Kaschula, stated that “in all of my years of guiding, I’ve never seen an elephant of this size, and you can speak to a generation or two above me who would say the same.” The elephant killed was a tusker, which is the term for a male elephant with large tusks. Tuskers are typically sought out by hunters due to the value of their tusks. Tuskers’ offspring usually grow up into tuskers as well. However, hunting has reduced the population of tuskers in the wild.
This elephant was estimated to be about 50 years old. His tusks weighed about 120 pounds each, which is almost unheard of nowadays. Now, Rainer Schorr wants to ship these tusks into Germany, presumably with other parts of the elephant as well. Demand the Berlin Tegel Airport, the main airport for international travel, to ban Schorr from bringing back parts of a murdered animal.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Mr. Ralf Kunkel,
Recently, German citizen, Rainer Schorr, traveled to Zimbabwe and paid $60,000 to hunt and kill an elephant. Schorr hunted down one of the largest elephants killed in the last 50 years. His tusks weighed about 120 pounds each, which is almost unheard of nowadays. Male elephants with tusks this large are referred to as tuskers. Tusker populations are very low now due to over-hunting.
Now, Schorr wants to import these tusks, presumably along with other parts of the elephant, into Germany. We’re asking you to not allow Schorr to import these pieces of a dead animal and to put a ban on the import of hunting trophies in the future. Banning the import of hunting trophies would make it much more difficult for hunters to get their trophies back into their country of residence. This could save thousands of animals, help keep a stable ecosystem, and help with the tusker population. Please consider all the benefits to this ban.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo credit: Stuart Basil
Elephant Rescued From Life in the Tourism Industry Greeted Like an Old Friend in Her Sanctuary Home. Elephant Nature Park (ENP) is a large animal sanctuary located in Chai Mai, Northern Thailand that takes in elephants who have been the victim of Thailand’s many cruel elephant fueled industries. For old and injured elephants like Jai Dee and Mee Sook, the kind people at ENP are their only hope for rescue.
Mee Sook, who was most likely stolen from her mother at an early age, spent the majority of her life giving rides to tourists in southern Thailand. Despite her age and injuries, she was forced to work every day in the searing heat, with a barbed chain around her leg. Luckily for her, she was found by the people at ENP and they were able to arrange her rescue.
After 40 long hours in the back of a truck, she arrived at the animal sanctuary and was taken to a shaded corral, where she was greeted by Jai Dee, another rescued elephant.
This heartwarming video is proof positive that elephants do have feelings and may even remember their friends, just like people. It is impossible to say when these two elephants met or what experiences they shared. But it is clear that the shared experience will be the foundation of a new friendship, as these two ladies enjoy their retirement together at ENP. All image source: Elephant Nature Park
How Zoos are Distorting Our View of the Natural World. For thousands of years, humans have put wild animals on display for the sake of our entertainment. The earliest zoos were merely collections of exotic animals that served as a way to flaunt one’s wealth. These animals lived in luxurious cages that hardly resembled any life they would lead in the wild. It wasn’t until the early 1900s in Germany that an emphasis was placed on ensuring animals had natural looking habitats while in captivity. Efforts to improve the environment for captive animals increased from there and slowly evolved into the modern zoo habitats many of us are familiar with today.
The purpose of keeping wild animals in captivity has also “evolved” from being an elaborate way to show one’s wealth to a highly organized practice that is allegedly grounded in “conservation, education, and scientific research.” Many Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) accredited institutions pride themselves on the money they donate to habitat restoration and rehabilitation projects, along with the elaborate Species Survival Plans in place for their captive animals.
By constructing a false habitat in which the animals can have some semblance of an environment like the one they’d have in the wild, and continuing to breed and populate these habitats, zoos have created a skewed image of what the natural world is meant to be like and in so doing, perpetuated the misconception that animals can be “okay” in captivity.
When we take a step back and deconstruct how zoos operate, the true cost of captivity becomes readily evident.
Acquiring Zoo Animals
While people happily pay to see animals in zoos, one thing they might not be so quick to consider is where the animals came from. Sadly, animals like lions and elephants didn’t just decide to put themselves on display; they were either captured from the wild – or their parents were.
Early zoos that took animals from the wild for their collections lacked the understanding to grasp how their actions could also compromise wild herds. Today, we are well aware of the impact that taking animals from the wild has on the population – yet, zoos continue to do this – and sometimes in the name of conservation.
Take the instance of elephants, recent research has revealed that when baby elephants are captured from their herds and taken away, it takes and emotional toll on both the young ones and their entire families. Elephants live in complex matriarchal societies, and the consequences of removing individuals from the herd could very well be irreversible. Of course, the reality presented to zoo patrons is dodgy yet simple: elephants are highly endangered and accredited facilities are doing everything in their power to conserve the species.
Many zoos also have Species Survival Plans that are complex breeding programs that allow them to maintain captive populations. Today, these accredited institutions rely on breeding and trading their animals, to maintain genetic diversity, through a complex network known as the AZA exchange. In some cases, propagating these captive animals has been incredibly successful, and in others, a complete failure. Yet it’s rare (only a handful of cases) that these efforts to breed wild animals in zoological settings lead to the subsequent release of the animal, despite constant reassurance that repopulation is possible thanks to captive breeding.
It’s unusual for zoo patrons to hear of the unsuccessful attempts to breed in captivity and whether the animals are breeding naturally or via artificial insemination, both disclosures that could potentially lead visitors to question whether or not these animals should continue to be kept in captivity. Despite accredited facilities’ reluctance to concede to these failures publicly, it’s always a celebration, often heard all over the world, when breeding attempts are successful. After all, so long as animals are breeding and giving birth in captivity, things can’t be that bad, right?
Stereotypic Behaviors in Captivity
Although zoos may attempt to get wild animals to assimilate into their captive environment, the fact is that these animals will always be wild at heart, and no amount of fake trees or square mileage of grassland will fool them into thinking a zoo is the same as being in their native habitat.
Zoochosis is a term that was coined in 1992 to characterize zoo animals that exhibited some kind of abnormal behavior while in captivity. These stereotypic behaviors, as it would turn out, are indicative of stress brought on confinement. Albeit most large zoos do often spend millions of dollars and take years to reconstruct select exhibits, they pale in comparison to the natural environment where animals can roam without restrictions and express a wide range of natural behaviors.
Although stereotypic behaviors can be observed in a wide variety of captive animals, it’s incredibly pertinent in captive animals with complex social lives like primates and elephants. Pacing, bar biting, head bobbing, neck twisting, regurgitation, and self-mutilation are just a few of the stereotypic behaviors seen in captivity. Because zoos don’t willingly offer this information to the public, many zoo patrons believe the behaviors they’re observing are normal. In many cases, they can even seem amusing.
The environment zoos present to the public is entirely artificial, the animals nothing like their wild counterparts. This, of course, isn’t to say that they’re somehow domesticated or that they’ve lost their instincts. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. The demonstration of zoochotic behaviors in captivity shows that these wild animals are bored and frustrated in their zoo environments. Zoos may succeed in fooling people into thinking their habitats are natural, but they cannot fool the animals.
What Do We Really Learn From Zoos?
One of the most commonly used justifications for zoos is the idea that people will only care about animals if they see them in person. While getting to interact with a majestic wild animal is undoubtedly a life changing experience, is seeing an animal in the zoo really the same as seeing one of their wild counterparts?
A study published by Conservation Biology last year found that 62 percent of the 2,800 children interviewed, “showed no indication of having learned new information about animal or environmental conservation.” Still, zoological institutions continue to suggest that the environment allows for an educational experience. Perhaps, this is because displaying wild animals inside cages and behind bars in habitats that only remotely resemble their native habitat, in reality, does little to foster respect for wild animals.
In fact, it only further perpetuates the idea that these animals are ours to view and observe. It seems like there has been an increase in captivity trends recently where the animal’s habitats are being upgraded to enhance the viewing experience for paying customers under the guise of expanding the animal’s enclosures and giving them more space. Take for example, SeaWorld’s Blue World plan. By expanding their captive orca’s tanks and more glass windows to view the animals, the park is really working to make customers more content with their viewing experience. They can get virtually as close as possible to these massive wild animals without worrying about getting hurt.
The bottom line is that one thing and one thing alone matters for zoos, and any other attraction that involves wild animals: profit.
We Can Do Better
Modern zoos have managed to set a precedent for the rest of the public, that observing animals in captivity is somehow ordinary, and the animal’s behavior in these settings is normal. Our understanding of the complexities of the wild animals held in captivity have far surpassed anything biologists, and scientists could have imagined when the first zoos opened thousands of years ago, and with that knowledge comes responsibility. Accredited zoos would like the public to believe the welfare of their animals in priority, but no amount of replicating or expanding will supersede the life they would experience in the wild.
With the news of Ringling Bros retiring their elephants and The California Coastal Commission announcing SeaWorld will only be permitted to expand their tanks if they end their breeding program, it’s clear that the animal welfare movement is at a crucial moment in time. As activists, we need to urge accredited institutions to move away from facilities that tailor to the public’s entertainment and instead towards those that are comparable to sanctuaries for the welfare of the captive animals. As Green Monsters, are you ready for that? Lead image source: Wikimedia
Julie
Larsen Maher ©WCS
It's
a good thing elephants have people like you willing to stand up and #BeHerd.
Last month, our 96 Elephants campaign delivered over 164,000
messages in support of the federal ivory ban to U.S. Secretary of the
Interior Sally Jewell. Join in the celebration! Share this image on Facebook to show your friends you stand for elephants.
NEW! PLEASE SIGN & SHARE ~ HELP Get #Nosey the #Elephant OUT of the Circus! via @peta2 http://peta2.me/2w5mz
Boycott Circus Allowing Nosey the Elephant to Suffer.
Target: Delbert Warren, President of Lawton Rangers Club
Petition: Click Here To Sign!
Goal: Cancel shows put on by a circus accused of neglecting and chaining up Nosey the elephant for 10 years.
Nosey the elephant has been held captive and neglected by the Polack Bros Circus for over 10 years. Over the years, Nosey has allegedly not been given proper veterinary care and has been chained up so tightly that she could barely move.
These are not isolated events. Hugo Liebel, the man who operates the circus, has been cited for nearly 200 violations under the Animal Welfare Act. In 2013 alone, he was charged with 33 violations. In addition, Nosey has recently had trouble walking and seems to be suffering from what many believe to be arthritis. Not only is she in pain, but arthritis in elephants can lead to death.
Polack Bros Circus is traveling to Lawton, Oklahoma to hold a few shows. The circus is being hosted by the Lawton Rangers Club. After learning of the atrocities that go on within this circus, many other hosts have decided to cancel the circus’ appearance. Sign this petition and tell the Lawton Rangers Club that no animal deserves a life like this and to cancel their plans with the Polack Bros Circus.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Mr. Delbert Warren,
Your club will soon be hosting the Polack Bros Circus for a few nights this month. The Polack Bros Circus currently holds an elephant named Nosey. They have had Nosey for over 10 years, and throughout this time she has been severely neglected. Nosey has been tied up so tightly that she could not move and has allegedly not been given proper veterinary care. Hugo Liebel, the man in charge of the Polack Bros Circus, has been cited with almost 200 violations under the Animal Welfare Act.
It is clear that even now Nosey is not given the treatment she deserves. Recently, she has had trouble walking and it seems that she has arthritis. Not only is arthritis painful, but arthritis in elephants can lead to death.
Upon hearing of the ill treatment of Nosey, other hosts have canceled their plans with the circus, including Washington and Lee University in Virginia. We’re hoping that now that you are aware of the atrocities that happen behind the scenes, you will stand up for those who cannot speak up for themselves. Please consider canceling your plans with Polack Bros Circus.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo credit: People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
Target: Delbert Warren, President of Lawton Rangers Club
Petition: Click Here To Sign!
Goal: Cancel shows put on by a circus accused of neglecting and chaining up Nosey the elephant for 10 years.
Nosey the elephant has been held captive and neglected by the Polack Bros Circus for over 10 years. Over the years, Nosey has allegedly not been given proper veterinary care and has been chained up so tightly that she could barely move.
These are not isolated events. Hugo Liebel, the man who operates the circus, has been cited for nearly 200 violations under the Animal Welfare Act. In 2013 alone, he was charged with 33 violations. In addition, Nosey has recently had trouble walking and seems to be suffering from what many believe to be arthritis. Not only is she in pain, but arthritis in elephants can lead to death.
Polack Bros Circus is traveling to Lawton, Oklahoma to hold a few shows. The circus is being hosted by the Lawton Rangers Club. After learning of the atrocities that go on within this circus, many other hosts have decided to cancel the circus’ appearance. Sign this petition and tell the Lawton Rangers Club that no animal deserves a life like this and to cancel their plans with the Polack Bros Circus.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Mr. Delbert Warren,
Your club will soon be hosting the Polack Bros Circus for a few nights this month. The Polack Bros Circus currently holds an elephant named Nosey. They have had Nosey for over 10 years, and throughout this time she has been severely neglected. Nosey has been tied up so tightly that she could not move and has allegedly not been given proper veterinary care. Hugo Liebel, the man in charge of the Polack Bros Circus, has been cited with almost 200 violations under the Animal Welfare Act.
It is clear that even now Nosey is not given the treatment she deserves. Recently, she has had trouble walking and it seems that she has arthritis. Not only is arthritis painful, but arthritis in elephants can lead to death.
Upon hearing of the ill treatment of Nosey, other hosts have canceled their plans with the circus, including Washington and Lee University in Virginia. We’re hoping that now that you are aware of the atrocities that happen behind the scenes, you will stand up for those who cannot speak up for themselves. Please consider canceling your plans with Polack Bros Circus.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo credit: People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
2015 Elephant Summit Summary
Plus, View New Elephant
PSA!IDA’s Elephant and Cetacean Scientist, Dr. Toni Frohoff, just returned from three pachyderm-packed days at the Elephant Summit in Wyoming, September 27-29. This year, the Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival began with a laser-sharp focus on elephant conservation and brought out some of the best and brightest elephant specialists from around the world. While there, some participants were able to jointly create a PSA that we hope you will watch, "like" (if inclined) and share. It starts with Dr. Joyce Poole and ends with Dr. Cynthia Moss. You can view it here.
Fortunately, this Summit was more than a forum for experts to show off their latest tricks and projects. From beginning to end, this event was "no-nonsense, roll-up-your-sleeves and come up with solutions because time is running out for the elephants" endeavor. Those sleeves remained appropriately furled the entire time as specialists in science, conservation, policy, advocacy, government, film, media, artists ... you name it, worked together to find common ground for collaboration on the most hazardous issues facing elephants globally. And the issues, and each level and manner in which they need to be addressed, are truly serious and we will be sharing them with you. Click here to read more.
Lifelike Sculpture Of Dead Elephant Captures The Horror Of Poaching. Every 15 minutes, an African elephant is killed for its ivory. According to National Geographic, over 100,000 elephants have been brutally murdered by poachers in the last three years alone, with up to 300 animals being gunned down by machine guns in single, mass poaching events. Africa has already lost 60 percent of its wild elephants and if this rate continues, the species is expected to go extinct within the next ten years. For those of us who have never seen a wild African elephant, or even ivory for that matter, it is difficult to imagine the magnitude of the situation, or how it affects us all. But in this world, everything is interconnected.
In an attempt to draw attention to the atrocity of ivory poaching, artist Kevin Van Braak submitted this thought provoking piece to the international outdoor art exhibit Lustwarande, in Tilburg, Netherlands. This life-sized wooden sculpture depicts an elephant carcass with the tusks carved out, inviting us to see up close and in gory detail, the terrible sight that so many rangers are finding every day.
Carved out of teak, the delicate details in this sculpture are so realistic that they truly capture the butchery that threatens each of these animals every day. Looking lifelessly ahead, the eyes seem to ask the question that all of us must start to ask ourselves, “Is this how it will end for all of Africa’s elephants?”
We are DETERMINED to do everything in our power to get I-1401 PASSED in Washington state. Are you with us?
Chip in right now to make sure we have the support we need to WIN on Election Day >>
What
will we tell our children?
What
will we tell them if they grow up in a world without elephants, without rhinos,
without sharks?
Unless
we act soon, and act big, that’s where we’re headed.
We’re
going all in to stop the illegal trade in elephant ivory, sea turtle and other
endangered wildlife products, and we need you.
The
black market in wildlife and wildlife parts is a massive criminal
enterprise involving an estimated 350 million plants and animals each
year. Many wildlife species, among them the largest mammals on Earth, are being
driven to the brink of extinction by these global crime syndicates.
And
did you know the United States is one of the world’s biggest consumers of
illegal wildlife and wildlife products? By stopping demand for these
items here, we can help reduce poaching and stop trafficking in its
tracks.
With
your help, we’re fighting for wildlife by:
-
Advocating for legislation that would put wildlife trafficking offenses in the same law enforcement category as racketeering and money laundering;
-
Organizing grassroots pressure for state-level bans on ivory, cheetah, lion and other wildlife products;
-
Working to stop the importation of imperiled big game "trophies" such as elephants and the transportation of wildlife products such as shark fins;
-
Conducting research on illegal trade in sea turtles and other animals coming from Latin America to the United States; and
-
Supporting protection for imperiled species at international wildlife fora such as at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
You
Make the Difference
This
wildlife trade crisis comes on top of fighting off vicious proposals by one of
the most anti-wildlife Congresses ever. And it comes on top of efforts to stop
Western states from aggressively persecuting our beloved wolves.
That’s
why your support matters so much. We need to fight for wildlife on every
front!
Every
15 minutes another elephant dies to fuel the illegal ivory trade. Many marine
species are so close to extinction that hope is almost lost to save them. This
simply can’t go on!
