It is that time of year where our beloved Nosey will return to Rock Creek, Ohio for her two month stay at the Medieval Faire.
She will be there Sat and Sun from July 9th through to August 14th, 2016, 11am - 7pm.
We will be out peacefully protesting along the street, in front of the entrance from 10am to 12:30pm (when the Faire is first opening). Again there will be protesters from 5pm to 7:30pm when the people attending the Faire are leaving. This will occur each Sat and Sun. A number of us will be going inside, so I cannot tell you how many people you will see at any given time. People can definitely stay from the very start with the first protest on through to the end of the day. There are food eateries north off of I-90 and Route 534, if people need a break and are not going into the Faire. This is a very rural area. There is a police officer in his police car out front who is hired there during each weekend to keep watch of the traffic. Make sure to pull your vehicle behind the line of cars behind him or in front of him. It's tempting to park on a yard that has a flat surface and is private property, but don't. You can text me, Sandie at 440-796-9190 if you need to. http://medievalfaire.com/index.htm
View the investigation video here: cwint.org/noseyinchains
To stay in-the-loop on our work for Nosey, please sign up for our monthly e-newsletter at: cwint.org/join
There has been a major breakthrough in our efforts to help Mohan. He is currently safe and has been moved away from his captors. In order to ensure the safety of Mohan and everyone involved, we are unable to disclose his current location or any other details at this moment. We will update you once we are able to share more information. On behalf of Mohan, we thank you for your prayers, patience and continued support. #FreeMohan
In compliance with this court order, the police arrested the mahout and sent him to jail and are on the lookout for the other two people who are on the run and absconding currently. They will be arrested if they are located by the Police. Although this has been a long fight, Mohan is finally getting the justice he deserves!
7/25/2016 Update: We overjoyed that Mohan is currently out of the hands of his captors and after 50 years is having his first exposure to kindness and some freedom. Although, he is safe, the fight to keep Mohan free is not over. There are more court hearings ahead. We share this with you just to help keep you prepared of some battles to still come. We will do our best to keep you updated on his situation without jeopardizing his safety and our team.
Now that Mohan has been evaluated by a veterinarian team, many of our worst fears on his physical health have been confirmed. The official medical exam reveals that Mohan is emaciated as a result of severe starvation. The report also details wounds that have occurred from regular beatings and poking with sharp objects. He also has severe roundworm infestation.
As an interim measure, Mohan is in the custody of the forest department where he will receive medical care and the attention he deserves. Our team is on the ground with him throughout this process.
We can’t thank you enough for working with us to bring justice for Mohan. This is the most recent photo of him. Also, we thought you might enjoy seeing the photos of the buffet cart that has all the new foods that you have made possible for Mohan.
The first moments of talking after elephants reunion. We walked the little boy, Zuki, and his mother, Bua Jaan, to live free with the herd at Journey. We were so excited to see them meet, especially the mother Bua Jaan, a reunion with her son, Erawan, after four years apart . When they first met each other their talking was prolonged and seemed very interesting, as if to share their life experience. During some part of their conversation, they were clearly very upset . Zuki at first was distant to the herd, somewhat afraid to join them, and he kept walking to the humans, especially after hearing his mahouts voice. We moved away and remained quiet, so as not to disturb them, and he then felt more free to be with his new family. Hope this clip can teach us about the elephants need for space, and how it is time for us to back off and let the elephant be herd! Learn More : http://www.saveelephant.org
David Cameron promised to ban wild-animal circuses by January 2015 but failed to bring any legislation to Parliament.
Send a message to Theresa May asking her to do better by banning wild-animal circuses now.
STOP KERALA: THIRTEEN ELEPHANTS HAVE DIED DUE TO TORTURE AND NEGLECT AND NINE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED BY ELEPHANTS IN 2016
A young elephant by the name of Erumeli Manikandan died in tragic circumstances today.(This is the 5th elephant death in this last 3 months,and all of them early deaths).
He had been severely abused by the folk who rented him from owner, and the owner in-turn deprived the elephant of good veterinary treatment, food and water.
The elephant was ,owned by Muhammed,Thekkumthottam, from Erumeli and the group that rented him were Sabari Group.
Sabari Group severely over-worked the elephant by taking the elephant from festival to festival, without providing adequate rest. As a result the elephant became seriously ill, so Sabari Group returned the elephant to the owner. Yesterday the elephant fell over, could not get up, and died in the early hours of this morning.
5 young elephants in 3 months time! We do not accept this no more! The captivity, the corruption in paperwork, the beatings, Phajaan rituals, the exploitation, the parading, the festivals in which real elephants are being used, the shows, the painting, the tourist rides: all of it: it has to stop! Give these elephants their dignity back, treat them as real Gods and create sanctuaries where they can live without fear and pain! Please sign and let Kerala know, we want immediate action to protect all these captive elephants from further cruelty! Click to help!
The ivory trade has a long and bloody history. That’s why we are doing everything we can to BAN the illegal ivory trade!
But the NRA is threatening to end our progress in its tracks.
They’re lobbying hard to DEFEAT a bill in the Massachusetts State Senate that would save countless elephants and rhinos from the vicious hands of greedy poachers.
If they succeed, elephants will be closer to extinction than ever. We have to fight back!
Sign your name to STOP the NRA's attacks on the ivory ban
And now they’re doing the same thing in Massachusetts.
If we don’t show that we won’t stand for the NRA’s stealth lobbying campaign, we could lose animals we love and cherish forever. http://go.saveanimalsfacingextinction.org/Stop-NRA
Meet the Elephant Whisperer Who Has Cared for 180 Orphaned Elephants in the Past 26 Years. The world’s elephant population is in dire need of help. This fact has become very well-known in the past decade and the urgency of the situation is pushing past the point of being ignored. One adult African elephant is killed every 15 minutes for their tusks, all to fuel the demands of the illegal ivory trade. The loss of these individuals is undeniably painful, but many forget the fact that these are not just individuals elephants, their members of a herd, and many of them leave behind babies. Like human children, baby elephants rely on their parents for essential care and they cannot survive without their mothers. So while one elephant may die every 15 minutes due to poaching, countless others will likely too as a result of this loss.
The African elephant is projected to be extinct from the wild within the next 20 years if nothing is done to protect these animals. Luckily, there are many people who are determined to ensure that does not happen.
Mishak Nzimbi, elephant caretaker at the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (DSWT) is one of these individuals. Nzimbi has been with DSWT for the past 26 years and has served as a loving parental figure for over 180 orphaned baby elephants during his time there. His kindness and knowledge of dealing with little ones has gained him the title of “elephant whisperer” and his presence at the sanctuary has aided in the recovery of countless orphans. Like humans, elephants grieve, so many of the babies who come to the shelter are deeply depressed and traumatized, especially if they witnessed the death of their parents. No matter the condition of the babies, Nzimbi is there to provide all the love and care they need to carry on.
“If you stay with elephants and if you love them, they will love you in return. They can know your heart and see your soul. I always welcome them, talk to them and let them come to me. I never turn them away,” Nzimbi told Africa Geographic.
While we might not all be able to care for elephants in the way that this amazing man does, we can all play a role in conserving this species with our daily actions. First and foremost, never purchase any item made of ivory (remember, the U.S. is the second largest market for illegal ivory), and support the work of organizations that are working to protect elephants in their natural habitat, like DSWT. Together we can all be heroes for elephants, their time is running out, so when will you start? Image source: David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust
Free Packy the Elephant!
IDA's #7 Worst Zoo for Elephants: Oregon Zoo in Portland, Oregon. Packy the elephant was born at the Oregon Zoo in 1962 and has lived in a small, cramped enclosure for nearly of all of his 54 years. In all his life, Packy has never had the opportunity to walk on grass, or forage on trees, or choose his friends - as wild elephants are free to do.
For most of his life, Packy has lived isolated from the zoo's collection of what is currently six elephants. Being a male, Packy sometimes exhibits assertive behavior, especially when in "musth," a hormone surge, sometimes lasting for months, that sends bull elephants' mating instincts into overdrive.
Taxpayer money has been used by the Zoo to update the elephant exhibit, and although it has given Packy a little more room to move, the exhibit is still woefully inadequate. The "improvements" mostly benefit the visitors, not the elephants.
In 2013, Packy contracted tuberculosis. His son Rama also contracted the disease, as did Tusko, another bull who was brought in to the zoo in 2005 on a breeding "loan." Currently, Packy is on another round of TB medication that will continue to keep him further isolated from the herd.
Packy suffers from a number of other zoo-related conditions, including arthritis, joint and foot disease. His sad existence is a reminder of why it is inhumane and unethical to breed elephants in captivity, denying them of everything that is innate to who they are as wild animals. Click here to read more and take action.
Ban Circuses With Elephants and Other Wild Animals.
Goal: Ban circuses that abuse wild animals for profit.
The city of Pittsfield, Massachusetts will soon decide whether or not to ban circuses featuring elephants and other non-domesticated animals. Animal advocacy group Berkshire Voters for Animals originally proposed the ban, citing concerns about public health, animal welfare, and weak regulations for traveling circuses.
At a council meeting, several proponents of the ban spoke. One man said that not only do captive animals pose a risk of danger to humans if they escape, but they can transmit life-threatening diseases, such as tuberculosis, to humans. According to the speaker, there were 34 cases of the disease found in elephants in only a decade.
The other obvious issue is the welfare of the animals. Animals such as lions, tigers, elephants, and bears are often subjected to barbaric training methods such as starvation, physical violence, and prolonged chaining. Another speaker passed around a sharp-tipped instrument called a bullhook that is used to beat elephants during training.
Not only do they endure torturous training, they are deprived of any of the enrichment that a natural existence provides. This includes interaction with other animals, a proper diet, and space to roam freely. Where a wild elephant would roam up to 40 miles each day, captive elephants are usually holed up in their enclosures any time they aren’t performing or training.
In order to put a stop to the cruelty rampant in the circus industry, we must stop supporting it. Pittsfield could soon become the latest in a long list of cities and counties that have opted not to support the enslavement of wild animals for human entertainment. Sign the petition below to urge the council to ban wild animal circuses. PETITION LETTER
Goal: Outlaw stealing elephants from the wild and using abusive training methods to get them used to people.
Baby elephants are taken from their mothers, tied to a tree for a week, kept in isolation, locked in cages where they cannot move, and severely beaten in an effort to get them ready for tourists who will later ride them. Such abuse needs to end in order to ensure that these animals are able to live out their lives as wild elephants instead of slaves to the general populous. Training techniques used are better known to locals as the training “crush” because the elephant endures treatment designed to break its spirit. It is solely because of these techniques that an elephant allows a human to approach it, as a wild elephant would fight anyone who tried to ride it.
Sadly, baby elephants are said to cry throughout the time they are tied up, likely because they usually live with their mothers their entire lives. Additionally, although baby elephants should drink milk until they are at least two years old, they are only given bananas and water to eat.
Demand Thailand outlaw using elephants to entertain tourists and that anyone caught abusing elephants in this manner be held accountable under law. Animals don’t deserve to be abused for entertainment. PETITION LETTER
After a 20-Hour Rescue Mission, Working Elephant Experiences Freedom for the First Time in 55 Years. There is nothing we love more than the story of a captive animal finally gaining their freedom, so this story from Wildlife SOS has got us smiling ear to ear! After 55 years in chains, held illegally, a starving and downtrodden elephant named Mohan is steps closer to sweet, sweet freedom!
Wildlife SOS has been working tirelessly for over a year to secure Mohan’s rescue from his current keepers. In 2015, the organization attempted to rescue the elderly elephant but was met by a mob of over 300 people who prevented the team from saving Mohan. After this rescue attempt, Mohan’s keeper who had been keeping the elephant illegally filed a revision to the local government to gain custody of Mohan, which lead to an extended legal battle. There were three pending cases involving Mohan in the court system and in order for either Wildlife SOS or his previous owner to gain custody of Mohan, all cases had to be settled – leading to a very lengthy process. All the while Mohan’s owner was stalling in court, this poor elephant was left to languish in his abject misery.
Thankfully, the District Court in Pratapgarh finally issued an order to the police to immediately file a motion against the people holding the elephant in illegal custody, allowing authorities to seize the elephant within three days. While this was an incredible development, it did not guarantee the easy release of Mohan.
Mohan was transferred into the care of the Forest Department of Pratapgarh and given a medical exam. Sadly, the exam yielded some rather sad news for Mohan. Wildlife SOS explains, “The medical report dated 23 July 2016 confirms the elephant is thin and emaciated caused by severe starvation. It also mentions that wounds on his body and ears confirm beating and poking by sharp objects, as well as feet injuries that would lead to permanent joint disorders if not properly treated immediately. The elephant’s dung had a lot of round worms and indicated severe worm infestation.”
To learn more about Wildlife SOS and the amazing work they do, click here. All image source: Wildlife SOS
The Shocking Way Culture and Religion are Being Used to Exploit Elephants in South Asia. For the majority of her young life, Ganga stood a solitary captive in the entry to the Gangaramaya Temple in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Chained by two legs on crumbling bricks off the side of a busy city street, Ganga was on display inside temple gates for years as traffic relentlessly moved behind her and people streamed just as endlessly in front of her. Year after year this small innocent elephant remained trapped between her opposing chains, utterly alone. And yet, she is one of many.
Illegally-captured juvenile elephants remain caught in the crosshairs of a criminal network, cleverly disguised within the folds of Culture and Religion.
Although the tragic stories of Ganga and other captive elephants have found international attention for some time, when Sri Lanka’s Presidency changed hands in 2015 the plight of illegally captured, wild-born elephants became fiercely public. For years, the shady and extremely lucrative business of stealing calves from the wild continued unabated. The young elephants that survived the capture and harsh training methods were often turned into backyard status symbols for wealthy businessmen and politicians. Many were sent to temples to live out their lives swaying on chains or working under the grueling conditions of ongoing festivals and peraheras.
As the complex network of wildlife crime profiting off the lives of these innocent animals came to light, legal proceedings began in earnest. Criminal custody cases went before the courts revealing forged documentations and false registration papers, while committed individuals and organizations began sniffing out the long and circuitous trail of where these elephants were being held, how they got there, and how to get them to safety.
Rising above challenging conditions, changing rules and constant court rescheduling, over a dozen custody cases were won, allowing for some of these young elephants to begin their recovery at the Elephant Transit Home (ETH), and prepare for their eventual return to the wild.
And then, the unthinkable happened: claiming there were not enough temple elephants for proper peraheras, robes of white and orange interfered with previous court rulings and initiated opposing legal action.
Young elephants who had found safe keeping and rehabilitation at ETH (as well as older elephants living at the dubious Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage) were to be forced to work in ongoing religious festivities.
The Cabinet of Ministers met on July 5, producing Decision 17’s foretelling title, “Maintaining a pool of elephants consisting of about 35 tuskers/male elephants/female elephants, under the Zoological Department to make them participate in cultural activities.” They also deemed “The perahera culture of Sri Lanka has a great history and has attracted the world’s attention. It has been observed that it is essential to use elephants in this perahera to maintain its pride and devoutness.”
The idea that it is essential to use captive (not domesticated, not tame, but captive, and certainly broken) elephants as a display of cultural pride and religious devoutness is an outdated idea that will not go unchallenged until it is changed.
The crimes being committed are multiplying: stealing innocent calves from the wild, continuing to exploit them at Pinnawela, and worst of all, the recent demands to remove these traumatized juveniles from their safekeeping at ETH.
Although removing individual elephants from their Pinnawela housing and adopted families to work in peraheras about the country is yet another abuse saddled on their backs, it is the possibility of using ETH elephants that must first be fought, and continued to be fought, until that door firmly closes. The bedrock of ETH’s purpose is to provide respite, recovery, and rehabilitation to injured, abandoned, or illegally captured elephants in preparation for their transit back to the wild. To take even one of these elephants away from the place where they finally found refuge and then stripping them of their right to be released back to the wild is simply unconscionable.
It’s extraordinary that we must protect the rights of any sentient being to keep them from being chained and exploited for religious ceremonies or entertainment. Chaos and complexity rule as cultural traditions, religion, politics, and money all collide against the cruel reality of life for captive elephants used in temples and tourism. Ganga, along with other innocent elephants, remains trapped in the middle – not where they were, but not yet where they deserve to be.
As the fight for what is right continues, sanctuary is our work for the future and immediate Compassionate Care our call for the present. Advocates in and out of Sri Lanka remain committed to changing the future of these sentient beings, circling up like a protective herd helping one another hold the immense suffering of the elephants and people alike until our one goal is met: to create a world where compassion trumps captivity for both the elephant and the human heart.
To learn more about what’s being done to put an end to this cruel practice, check out the Heart of Ganesh website.
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Historic Victory! Rhode Island Becomes First State to Ban Bullhooks
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the terrific news and then take action for big cats and elephants forced to
perform for Circus World.
1. The Hill. NRA warns ivory ban will make gun owners ‘criminals overnight.’ July 12, 2014.
