Elephant In The Room, Big Tusker, Government of Zimbabwe, We are going to move a family of 30 elephants!, Laxmi, Indian Forest Department, #EatForThePlanet podcast!, & Miyoko’s Butter gives 1% to PAWS in April!
Every animal lover will remember the day they learned about the death of Cecil, Zimbabwe's most famous lion, who was lured out of his reserve by an American hunter and shot. The animal was left to suffer in agony for hours before it finally died. What made the news even worse was that Cecil was being studied by scientists to learn more about lion habits.
Now, a similar story has emerged but this time the victim was an extremely rare type of elephant known as a "Big-Tusker." Big-Tuskers are elephants with tusks so long they reach the ground. According to the latest study, there are only around 30 left on Earth.
Make that 29 -- unfortunately, one was murdered last month by a Russian trophy hunter on a Safari Club affiliated hunt.
To make matters worse — like Cecil — the pachyderm was collared and was being studied by researchers. The hunters claim not to have seen the collar but even if that were the case, there are currently no laws in Zimbabwe that prohibit hunters from killing collared animals!
It is unbelievable that Zimbabwe allows the murder of animals so important they are being specifically studied by scientists. It must stop.
It is time to have your voice heard and demand that Zimbabwe stop these senseless killings. Help to make sure this never happens again. Ask Zimbabwe to ban the killing of ALL collared animals — and save the last of the "Big Tusker" elephants!
We are going to move a family of 30 elephants!
The last time elephants roamed this area was more than a 100 years ago. The Addo Elephant National Park in South Africa owns the land which is far from poaching areas and where the family will be able to safely breed in the wild. There’s plenty of space and plenty of water, the elephants will be happy there, but it’s a long and difficult journey from where they live now.
A full-grown elephant can weigh 12,000 pounds and it takes a lot of skill and a lot of money to safely move even one animal. We have promised to move 30 – mothers, babies, teenagers, the matriarch and bulls. They have to be moved as a family for their psychological well-being and it will be a massive organizational challenge.
We need to hire trucks, helicopters, vets and lots of skilled people. This elephant rescue mission is going to stretch NFA financially.
Urge the Indian government to serve justice for Laxmi by finding and arresting her abusers.
The story did not end well for Laxmi. When rescuers finally located her, they found her carcass chained, surrounded by urine and feces that had not been cleaned in months. Not surprisingly, her "owners" were nowhere to be found.
We can only imagine what might have been going through Laxmi's mind in her last moments. This majestic, sensitive animal who deserved to live her life free in the forests of India was instead shackled, beaten and abused. She would certainly not have chosen this life. Let's prove that her death was not in vain.
Sign the petition and demand that the Indian Forest Department prosecute Laxmi's killers.
For the month of April, one percent of online purchases for Miyoko’s vegan butter will go directly towards PAWS’ efforts to rescue and rehabilitate animals from severe abuse and neglect. PAWS provides sanctuary to animals, such as formerly captive elephants, who are too old or sick. To purchase Miyoko’s vegan butter, click here.
If you’re interested in learning how Miyoko Schinner, the founder of Miyoko’s Kitchen, built a cheese empire, check out this recent interview with Nil Zacharias on the #EatForThePlanet podcast!
