Honolulu, August 20, 1994. Tyke the elephant goes on a rampage. What happens next will traumatise a city and ignite a global battle over the use of performing animals. Tyke Elephant Outlaw is a gripping and emotionally charged documentary about one elephant’s break for freedom and the profound questions it raised about our connection to other species.
This is the gripping and emotionally charged story of Tyke, a circus elephant who went on a rampage in Honolulu in 1994, killed her trainer in front of thousands of spectators and died in a hail of gunfire.
Her break for freedom – filmed from start to tragic end – traumatised a city and ignited a global battle over the use of animals in the entertainment industry. Looking at what made Tyke snap, the film goes back to meet the people who knew her and were affected by her death – former trainers and handlers, circus industry insiders, witnesses to her rampage, and animal rights activists for whom Tyke became a global rallying cry.
Like the classic animal rebellion film King Kong, Tyke is the central protagonist in a tragic but redemptive drama that combines trauma, outrage, insight and compassion. Ultimately, this moving documentary raises fundamental questions about our deep and mysterious connection to other species. Click here for screenings Times.
Pose like an elephant. Elephant Yoga Challenge. Quiz: what do elephants and yoga have in common? Check out one creative answer to that question from HGTV's Property Brothers stars Jonathan and Drew Scott:
You don't have to be an expert yogi to make a huge difference for elelphants. Go to www.ElephantYogaChallenge.org to see instructional videos on how to do the version of the elephant yoga pose that is right for you.
It's simple: pose, challenge, donate.
• Pose: Strike your best elephant yoga pose and share it on social media. (Don't forget to use the hashtag #ElephantYogaChallenge in your post.)
• Challenge: Tag 3 friends and challenge them to take the #ElephantYogaChallenge.
• Donate: Go to www.ElephantYogaChallenge.org to support elephant conservation.
Already, hundreds of people have taken the #ElephantYogaChallenge to show their support and each person who joins makes our voices louder and helps save more elephants — are you in? Take the #ElephantYogaChallenge by midnight tonight and challenge your friends to do it too. We'll send you a free sticker if you participate!
We can't be the generation that let's elephants disappear. Help us increase awareness and support for elephants by taking the #ElephantYogaChallenge. With your help, we can ensure a future for this incredible species. #ElephantYogaChallenge
CAN has been living in bitter isolation since 2000, when all the zoo’s other elephants died. Female elephants have an intense need for close companionship. One of the elephants who died was CAN’s mother. Mother and daughter elephants never leave each other’s sides, so the heartbreak from this alone was extremely damaging to CAN.
She lives in a small enclosure, far too tiny for her to get adequate exercise. Because of this, CAN is suffering from health problems, including arthritis. She also has chronic eye infections, which place her at risk of blindness.
Mr. Samouka Kane, Director of the Abidjan Zoo, and his staff are to be respected, for they have endured much and tried their hardest to provide for the animals. But reports from those on the ground indicate that the zoo is unsustainable. For this reason, it is time to release CAN, one of the only surviving forest elephants bred in captivity, to a sanctuary to live out her days in freedom.
Please ask Mr. Samouka Kane to release CAN so we can take her to a safe, natural environment with other elephants.
This petition will be delivered to: Samouka Kane
Nosey Updates:
A Great NEW Song Featuring Nosey by David Barreto! Listen, Share, Enjoy!
Please listen to & share David's new song (below) called 'NOSEY/ SAVE OUR WILDLIFE' ~ We hope you like it as much as we do!
We've added it to our NEW AFNN 2016 Youtube Playlist called 'Nosey The Elephant 2016 By Action For Nosey Now!' (click to check it out)
We also have our AFNN Youtube playlist from last year called 'Action For Nosey Now 2015' (click to check it out)
Feel free to subscribe and to watch & share the videos in both of our AFNN playlists
Thanks ~ Action for Nosey Now
'NOSEY/ SAVE OUR WILDLIFE' by David Barreto ~ Listen, Share, Enjoy!
Here's the short link for sharing the song easily http://bit.ly/1TN6Z83
Something needs to change. It needs to change quickly!
Please help us get this beautiful animal to a place where she belongs! To where she can live her life happy. Without people on her back, or hitting her with 2x4's. Where she has enough food and water. Where she can play. Peta is already aware and needs the community to come together to help save this animal and any others the Liebel's use for entertainment. Be their VOICE! Stand with us and stop them! Stand up and fight for our county!
http://www.peta.org/action/action-alerts/nosey-elephant-florida/ - This petition will be delivered to: Representative Alan Grayson
We also want to say Thank You to everyone who has, and who continues to take action for Nosey online by tweeting, sending emails, sharing our posts etc and Thank You to everyone who has made phone calls.
We truly appreciate everything you all do! ~ Action for Nosey Now
Here are some photos and videos taken during the protests at Jungle Habitat Zoo
After protesting for Nosey at the Jungle Habitat Zoo, Lori Lépine shared the video below, in her post Lori wrote:
'Nosey wasn't the only animal suffering at this disgusting event yesterday. This beautiful horse was in this same position on the hot pavement the entire time Heather & I were there. OVER 2 hours. And had been there at least when another protester arrived 3 hours earlier!!! No one was paying for a carriage ride & she just had to stand there for hours on hot hard pavement instead of soft grass, with no adequate shade, no ability to walk around to circulate blood in its legs & no access to drinking water . In this video you see her moving her legs. There was no free access to her water, either.'
Footage above, filmed on May 2nd 2016, in the parking lot at the Jungle Habitat, in Kissimmee, Florida where Nosey was giving rides
Thank You Dagmar Gatell for taking action for Nosey, protesting and for sharing the video above
Thank You for taking action for Nosey ~ If you attended the protests too but we missed your name at the start of this post, we apologize for it.
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Rescued Elephant Gets Hold of Ribbon and Dances Her Heart Out. Baby elephants love to play and this little elephant, Faa Mai certainly has a reason to kick back and enjoy herself because she lives at Elephant Nature Park in Chiang Mai, Thailand.Elephants are greatly threatened by poachers and the tourism industry in Thailand, so while it is unfortunate that Faa Mai can’t live freely out in the wild, residing in the safe bounds of this amazing animal sanctuary is a pretty close second. The elephants of Elephant Nature Park are all rescued animals, either orphaned or in need of other care, but at the sanctuary they are able to form their own family herd and enjoy each other’s company. If you missed this adorable video of two of Elephant Nature Park babies play fighting, check it out here.
In true playful elephant form, she sneakily ventured out into the field and stripped the plastic from one of the pipes. It wasn’t long until this make-shift toy turned into a bonafide ribbon dance.
Look What I Found! Isn’t it Mahvelous!
Lead image source: Lek Chailert/Faceceook
Shut Down “Death Zoo” After Crying Elephant Dies.
Target: Joko Widodo, President of Indonesia
Goal: Shut down zoo where animals frequently die after improper care and send remaining animals to sanctuaries.
An elephant has become the latest victim of a derelict zoo, pictured dying without care as tears poured from the animal’s eyes. The female Sumatran elephant named Yani is just one of the casualties of the Bandung Zoo on the island of Java, in Indonesia. Yani had allegedly been kept in a dirty, rusting cage before falling ill and dying from receiving improper care due to the zoo not having a veterinarian for the past year. Pictures show severe sores covering the elephant’s body, and other animals at the zoo are reportedly emaciated and improperly cared for.
Previous animal deaths have included Rama the Sumatran tiger who died of unexplained causes, a giraffe found dead with 40 pounds of plastic in his stomach and an 18-month-old lion called Michael found hanged to death in his cage by a steel wire. Activists bemoan improper food and care, untrained staff and general neglect at the zoo, with the facility often referred to as the “death zoo.”
Sign this petition urging Indonesian authorities to shut down this zoo and others in the country to prevent more animals from suffering and dying.
Dear President Widodo,
Yani the elephant has become the latest in a string of animal deaths at the Bandung Zoo, also referred to as the “death zoo.” The facility reportedly keeps animals in filthy and rusting cages, gives them inadequate food and improper care due to the absence of a veterinarian.
Pictured covered in sores, with tears streaming down her face, Yani’s death is only the most recent casualty of the zoo’s abhorrent conditions. A hanged lion, a tiger dying unexpectedly and a giraffe succumbing to eating the trash in his enclosure are just some of this derelict and careless facility’s other victims. Moreover, wild animals do not belong in captivity, where they suffer from confinement.
I urge you to shut down the Bandung Zoo as well as others in Indonesia, and send remaining animals to accredited sanctuaries.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo credit: Tiia Monto
UPDATE (Give your Elephants Real Freedom): Keep Sharing -- So Close to 200,000 Signatures!!
MAY 11, 2016 — Hello, everyone! I hope you're all well!
I wanted to send a quick message to you all. First, I'd like to thank you for your continued support. We've amassed quite a following, and that would not have been possible without your shares and comments. The fact that you're educating people on what the retirement really means for these elephants is a MASSIVE step in the right direction. Thank you for that.
I wish I had some tangible updates to share with you. Unfortunately, I don't. As you've seen already and from my previous communication, the elephants were officially retired and sent to the Center for Elephant Conservation (CEC) in Florida. There are still countless people who believe that this retirement is good news. Now that you know the truth -- that the animals will be subjected to cancer research -- you can go out and educate people on the truth. They need to know. It's the only way that these animals will be truly rescued and sent to homes that they deserve.
There are other petitions, thank God, that are urging Ringling Bros. to send their elephants to real sanctuaries. Tennessee and California are terrific choices, and we will continue to push for this transfer. PETA is another organization that is putting pressure on Ringling Bros. to do the right thing -- finalize this retirement to the end. Just as a disclaimer: some of you have voiced concerns on my involvement with PETA. I do not work for or with PETA. I personally don't involve my opinions of them into this petition, as I am trying to stay as objective as possible to align with the facts. That's what's going to get us a victory here. PETA has been circling this issue for quite some time, long before I came onto the scene. While they may be quite extreme in some of their petition tactics, they have made some major moves in this field.
I will keep you updated, as always. As soon as I hear back from the sanctuaries, from Senator Coons' office, from any of the animal rights groups and activists I've tweeted, you will be the first to know.
For right now, let's keep sharing this petition with the world. My intention is to get to 200,000 signatures, and we are only 9,000 and some change away. I know we can do it! If you have Twitter, keep tweeting to Ringling Bros and Nicole Feld. Tell them how you feel! Your voice matters and counts, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise.
I would also invite you to tweet to Chelsea Clinton (@ChelseaClinton) who is a big animal rights activist. Someone in this group mentioned this, and thank you for that!
Thank you all, again! From the bottom of my heart. The fight is slow, but aren't all the good ones...
P.S. Attached is a Fox News article on the retirement of the elephants. If you read it, you'll see that they refer to it as "semi retirement." The news is getting out that this retirement is not what Ringling Bros. painted to the public. Slowly, the facts are beginning to unravel that the elephants have more work to do in their lifetimes. For the record, I am not a big fan of Fox News, and I am not endorsing this for any reason, except to show how subtle language can have a big impact, if looked at carefully.
When Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus retires the elephants it uses, they're sent to what it calls the "Center for Elephant Conservation" (CEC). But it's no sanctuary. The elephants currently at the CEC were taken away from their mothers as babies. They are kept on concrete, threatened with bullhooks, forced to breed, and driven insane, and some have tested positive for tuberculosis.
But the excitement died down once we learned the details of their “liberation”: the 13 Asian elephants will not be retired to a sanctuary, which strives to replicate their natural habitat in every way. Instead, they will live out the rest of their days in the Ringling Bros.’ very own Center for Elephant Conservation, a flat and nearly treeless 200-acre ranch, where they will have more room to roam, yes, but they will also still be prodded with bullhooks, shackled and kept indoors on bare concrete floors at night. In short, they will be far from free.
Please join me in calling on Ringling Bros. CEO Kenneth Feld to retire its 13 remaining elephants to a real sanctuary, so they can experience life in their natural habitat.
Ringling Bros. will also continue to breed the elephants. Why? Because Feld wants to “someday show tourists the grandeur of the Asian elephant,” in some as-yet-to-be-determined venue. For this reason, females will be kept on an endless cycle of pregnancy and birth. He has also invested in medical research using the elephants’ blood, and is dedicated to keeping them on hand for that reason. This is not freedom, and it is not humane.
Ringling’s Center for Elephant Conservation is a step up from circus performing, certainly, but Feld still has a long way to go to show these majestic creatures the respect they’ve earned from their decades of service (some of them have performed for Ringling for nearly a half century).
Help me get these humble creatures the freedom they deserve. Your voice matters because they do. Let’s stand up for what’s right and demand that CEO Kenneth Feld retire these elephants to a true sanctuary.
This petition will be delivered to: Feld Entertainment, Nicole Feld
Famed Ringling circus elephants arrive in Florida for retirement
http://www.fox13news.com
Why Ivory Burns Like Kenya’s Are Still NecessaryPoaching has declined thanks to stepped-up conservation efforts, but the country’s ports and airports remain wildlife trafficking hot spots.
Elephants walk through a swamp in Amboseli National Park, southeast of Nairobi, Kenya. (Photo: Thomas Mukoya/Reuters)
The elephants and rhinos roaming Kenya’s low plains and central highlands benefit from some of the strongest wildlife protections and strictest poaching laws on the continent, but the country continues to be a top transit hub for ivory and rhino horn trafficking, according to a new investigation.
TRAFFIC, the nonprofit wildlife monitoring network, found that since 2009 more ivory has been transported through Kilindini Port in Mombasa, Kenya, than along any other trade route in Africa. The port acts as a thoroughfare for countries such as Tanzania, Mozambique, and the Democratic Republic of Congo to transport illegal wildlife goods to Asian markets.
Jomo Kenyatta Airport in Nairobi, Kenya, was also listed as a key exit point from the continent for ivory and rhino horn.
“Corruption among government and private sector officials is a key enabling factor of the illegal wildlife trade,” according to the report, which was released Monday. “The fact that wildlife contraband, especially rhino horn and elephant ivory, has been exported from Kenya only to be seized in transit or in destination countries means that wildlife traffickers are able to exploit security loopholes in the country’s law enforcement network.”
Still, the report praised Kenya’s recent efforts to curb poaching. The killing of elephants and rhinos declined in 2015, while poaching figures for the sought-after species either rose or stayed steady across the rest of the continent.
The report also said that after years of recovery, Kenya’s elephant population is undergoing a marginal decline, with around 32,500 animals left in the wild—still well below the estimated population of 167,000 in 1973. Similarly, since 1970, Kenya’s rhinoceros population has fallen from around 20,000 to just 650 black and 381 white rhinos in 2014.
“The decline of rhino poaching rates in Kenya shows that concerted conservation efforts based upon strong political will and increased expenditure can work,” Jo Shaw, rhino program manager at the World Wildlife Fund, said in a statement.
Kenya’s 2013 Wildlife Conservation and Management Act puts the punishment for killing an endangered or threatened species at a minimum of $200,000 and/or life imprisonment.
According to TRAFFIC’s report, only 4 percent of convictions of wildlife crimes between 2008 and 2013 resulted in jail time for the perpetrators. But in recent cases, convictions have ended in fines of more than $200,000 or significant jail time. Such was the case in the 2014 conviction of a Chinese ivory smuggler on his way from Mozambique through Kenya, and the 2015 conviction of a woman found with five pieces of elephant tusk. In May of this year, two Kenyans were convicted after being found in possession of three elephants.
TRAFFIC said the next step is to root out corrupt government and private sector officials and cooperate on an international level to arrest traffickers and go-betweens higher up the trade chain.
“Future enforcement interventions in Kenya and elsewhere in the region need to be internationally coordinated and focus on targeting the middlemen and kingpins of large-scale trafficking, rather than easily replaceable low-level poachers and transport mules,” Steven Broad, TRAFFIC’s executive director, said in a statement.
In a bid to limit elephant ivory that corrupt insiders could smuggle, Kenya set fire to the country’s entire stockpile of rhino horn and elephant tusk on April 30, eliminating more than 100 tons that might have ended up on the black market.
Critics of the burn said the stocked ivory could have been sold to lower international market demand and raise funds for conservation efforts. They said the burn also won’t stop poachers from killing elephants in the wild. But conservation groups such as the Wildlife Conservation Society argue that if history is any indication, selling stockpiles won’t help the elephants either.
A Kenya Wildlife Services ranger stands guard near illegal stockpiles of burning elephant tusks, ivory figurines, and rhinoceros horns in Nairobi National Park on April 30. (Photo: Carl de Souza/AFP/Getty Images)
Since the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species’ temporary lift of the ivory trade ban in 2007, elephant poaching has only increased. At the time, CITES allowed some African countries to sell off their stockpiles of ivory from elephants that had died naturally in an attempt to lessen the lure of poaching elephants in the wild.
Resson Kantai Duff, program manager at conservation group Save the Elephants, said the burn solidifies Kenya’s stance that ivory should never be bought or sold, and no legal ivory market is sustainable for the species.
“It is a symbolic memorial to all those that have been killed,” Duff said in a statement. “We hope that this fire marks the beginning of the end of the ivory trade and that from here on, Africa’s ivory can stay where it belongs: on elephants.”
UPDATE (End Elephant Riding at Angkor, Siem Reap.): 150,000 signatures but elephant riding continues. End Elephant Riding at Angkor. As you know, this petition has reached an amazing 150,000 signatures - however, elephant riding at Angkor still sadly continues everyday. It seems that many of you thought yesterday's update was a victory in stopping elephant riding, however it was a small celebration at reaching our milestone of 150,000 signatures and global recognition of the movement to end elephant riding. The pressure needs to continue, your voice is being heard - we can do this! Together with your voices, the leaders of the travel industry are also calling for an end to this cruel practice. Thank you for your continued support!
End Elephant Riding at Angkor, Siem Reap. It's time to end elephant riding at the Angkor archaeological park in Siem Reap, Cambodia. A cruel tourist attraction that is proven to be harmful to elephants, and can only damage the tourism industry of Cambodia, must finally come to an end.
The recent death of Sambo, a female elephant used for tourist rides, at the Angkor temples should be the final wake-up call for the community and tourism industry to take the steps needed to end this horrific practice.
There is no such thing as cruelty-free elephant rides. Tourists may think that riding an elephant on holiday does not cause harm - you often can't see the cruelty - it's hidden from view. What you don’t realise is that a ‘once in a lifetime’ or 'bucket list' item for you, means a lifetime of misery for wild animals.
Ask that APSARA (Authority for the Protection and Management of Angkor and the Region of Siem Reap) ban elephant riding at Angkor. APSARA is the Cambodian management authority responsible for protecting the archaeological park of Angkor and is in charge of the research, protection, development and conservation of the park.
Recently, thanks to World Animal Protection, 114 global companies have agreed to no longer offer visits to venues with elephant rides and shows. This is a clear sign that times are changing and the leaders of tourism industries understand and agree that this practice must end.
Who operates the elephant rides at Angkor?
MAY 13, 2016 — With continued silence from both APSARA and Cambodia's Ministry of Tourism - perhaps it's worth speaking to the company who operates the elephant rides at Angkor. A company operating as Angkor Village Pte Ltd (Singapore) own the website:
http://www.angkorvillageresort.asia/elephants.php
http://www.angkorvillageresort.asia
http://www.angkorvillage.com/
The company proudly claims they were "founded in 1997 with the vision of bringing elephants back to Angkor".
Angkor Village Hotel and Angkor Village Resort are located in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Angkor Village operates the elephant riding at Angkor, so perhaps they can answer some of your questions as to why they continue to operate the horrendous, cruel practice of elephant riding. Perhaps they can offer answers to questions like "what will happen to the elephants if you stop riding?" as there are numerous elephant sanctuaries in Cambodia where these beautiful elephants could retire. There are solutions available NOW to end this cruelty. Angkor Village can be contacted on +855 (0)63 963 361 or +855 (0)63 963 561 - and you can always email reservations@angkorvillage.com or welcome@angkorvillage.com
The pressure continues until the elephant riding stops.
UPDATE (Elephant rides continue - APSARA and Ministry of Tourism remain silent). End Elephant Riding at Angkor
MAY 12, 2016 — With more than 160,000 signatures demanding that elephant riding end, and a continued news media presence, APSARA and the Cambodian Ministry of Tourism remains silent. Today, elephant riding at Angkor continues.
"Asia Pacific Report asked the APSARA Authority, the Cambodian Ministry of Tourism, and the Royal Embassy of Cambodia in Canberra for comment, all of whom were unresponsive" says Asia Pacific Report, in a news article published today 12th May 2016.
This silence and refusal to take action cannot last forever - our resolve remains strong, the leaders of the global tourism industry support the movement to end elephant riding, and news media continues to report it - we will continue the pressure!
As global response to an online petition continues to grow, can the death of one elephant change attitudes on Southeast Asia's animal tourism industry? Dominic Pink investigates for Asia Pacific Report.
More than 150,000 people have signed a petition...http://asiapacificreport.nz. Please sign, share, and let your voice be heard in calling for an end to elephant rides at Angkor.
Who operates the elephant rides at Angkor?
http://www.angkorvillageresort.asia/elephants.php
http://www.angkorvillageresort.asia
http://www.angkorvillage.com/
The company proudly claims they were "founded in 1997 with the vision of bringing elephants back to Angkor".
Angkor Village Hotel and Angkor Village Resort are located in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Angkor Village operates the elephant riding at Angkor, so perhaps they can answer some of your questions as to why they continue to operate the horrendous, cruel practice of elephant riding. Perhaps they can offer answers to questions like "what will happen to the elephants if you stop riding?" as there are numerous elephant sanctuaries in Cambodia where these beautiful elephants could retire. There are solutions available NOW to end this cruelty. Angkor Village can be contacted on +855 (0)63 963 361 or +855 (0)63 963 561 - and you can always email reservations@angkorvillage.com or welcome@angkorvillage.com
The pressure continues until the elephant riding stops.
UPDATE (Elephant rides continue - APSARA and Ministry of Tourism remain silent). End Elephant Riding at Angkor
MAY 12, 2016 — With more than 160,000 signatures demanding that elephant riding end, and a continued news media presence, APSARA and the Cambodian Ministry of Tourism remains silent. Today, elephant riding at Angkor continues.
"Asia Pacific Report asked the APSARA Authority, the Cambodian Ministry of Tourism, and the Royal Embassy of Cambodia in Canberra for comment, all of whom were unresponsive" says Asia Pacific Report, in a news article published today 12th May 2016.
This silence and refusal to take action cannot last forever - our resolve remains strong, the leaders of the global tourism industry support the movement to end elephant riding, and news media continues to report it - we will continue the pressure!
As global response to an online petition continues to grow, can the death of one elephant change attitudes on Southeast Asia's animal tourism industry? Dominic Pink investigates for Asia Pacific Report.
More than 150,000 people have signed a petition...http://asiapacificreport.nz. Please sign, share, and let your voice be heard in calling for an end to elephant rides at Angkor.
