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Elephant Experts From Around the World Oppose Proposed Import of 18 Elephants from Swaziland to Zoos in Texas, Nebraska, and Kansas
"The capture and removal of wild elephants from their home ranges and social groups is appalling and archaic, and the threat to kill elephants unless permits are issued is beyond unethical." – Dr. Joyce Poole
Washington, D.C. -- More than 70 elephant experts from across the globe have joined together today to announce their outrage and opposition to the proposed import of 18 elephants from Swaziland by the Dallas Zoo in Texas; Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha, Nebraska; and Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita, Kansas. The zoos' request for a permit to import these elephants has just been published in the U.S. Federal Register and is open to public comment.
"The capture and removal of wild elephants from their home ranges and social groups is appalling and archaic, and the threat to kill elephants unless permits are issued is beyond unethical," stated Dr. Joyce Poole, co-founder of ElephantVoices and a world expert on elephant social behavior and communication, who has been studying and working to conserve elephants for 40 years....snipped...
reading the whole article, this is pretty upsetting. A bad decision.
Experts From Around the World Oppose Import of Swaziland Elephants
We, the undersigned scientists, conservationists, elephant care, animal welfare and policy experts, are strongly opposed to the proposed import of 18 elephants from Swaziland by the Dallas Zoo in Texas, Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha, Nebraska, and the Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita, Kansas, for the following reasons:
1. The capture and removal of wild elephants for display in zoos is detrimental to elephants. The forcible capture and removal of wild elephants from their home ranges and social groups is archaic and unethical. Elephants do not thrive in zoos. Most fail to breed, and an astonishing number of zoo-born elephant calves die young. The overall infant mortality rate for elephants in zoos is a staggering 40 percent - nearly triple the rate of free ranging Asian and African elephants.1 Those who reach adulthood often display behavioral abnormalities and die of diseases and disabilities caused by captive conditions, such as arthritis and foot disease. Published research shows that bringing elephants into zoos profoundly impacts their health and viability.
2. There is no evidence to show that serious efforts have been made to keep the elephants in Africa. he Kingdom of Swaziland and the Dallas Zoo and its partners have offered no evidence that they have seriously explored options for relocation of the elephants to other parks or sanctuaries within Africa, nor on what basis other options were rejected - even though in situ relocation offers real conservation value, the promise of minimal harm and distress to the elephants, and the prospect of a natural life. Claims that poaching, habitat loss, and other threats justify relegating these elephants to a lifetime in captivity in a foreign environment are self-serving; used to justify the capture and exports of these animals.
3. Threats to kill the 18 elephants unless permits are issued are unethical and represent outdated wildlife management practices. .....snipped.....
pretty sad. this is one of my favorite sites, this Tennessee sanctuary. They have cameras all over the place so that you can watch them during the day. It is very relaxing. They are all older elephants.
So they live in a zoo instead of being killed.
Yeah, what a tragedy.
Quote:
Swaziland is a poor country that has long allowed a family-run organization, Big Game Parks, to manage wildlife in three of its protected areas, apparently without government oversight. Big Game Parks has threatened to cull the 18 elephants if permits are not issued, claiming the elephants are destroying the landscape in the parks and impacting the rhino population. In reality, the entire population of fewer than 35 elephants occupies only small fenced portions of the reserves and poses no considerable threat to other wildlife; no evidence has been presented to show significant habitat competition with rhinos. Big Game Parks stands to benefit financially from the transaction.
Obviously, you didn't read any of this and you don't know anything about elephants.
What was your point of making a sarcastic post.....?
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