Elephant Lovers Slam Export To Australia

[george]

Elephant lovers slam export to Australia

BANGKOK: -- A local elephant-lovers group has expressed staunch opposition to the planned sale of nine Thai elephants to zoos in Australia and New Zealand.

“We do not want the elephants transferred to man-made living places because wild animals belong in the wild,” said Soraida Salwala, founding director of the Friends of the Asian Elephant group.

“Judging by the experience of Burmese elephants, animals transferred to live in a zoo in Australia are having it bad. The care given to them is substandard.”

The nine Thai jumbos set to be sent Down Under have lived on Mahidol University’s Kanchanaburi campus for years. They were transferred there from Pang Chang, an elephant camp in Ayutthaya, Soraida said.

“Unfortunately, elephants are being used as bargaining chips by the Thai government in free-trade transactions,” she said.

Soraida added that following consultations with Ian Campbell, Australia’s minister for the environment and heritage, as well as several local animal rights associations, Australian authorities had agreed to reconsider the transaction pending the release of official clearance for the import of the Thai elephants.

“We have also petitioned the Thai government several times, but so far have received no response,” she said.

“We urge the Thai government to reconsider selling the elephants because animals are not chattel to trade at will.”

--The Nation 2005-05-06

[Nignoy]

Elephant lovers slam export to Australia

BANGKOK: -- A local elephant-lovers group has expressed staunch opposition to the planned sale of nine Thai elephants to zoos in Australia and New Zealand.

“We do not want the elephants transferred to man-made living places because wild animals belong in the wild,” said Soraida Salwala, founding director of the Friends of the Asian Elephant group.

“Judging by the experience of Burmese elephants, animals transferred to live in a zoo in Australia are having it bad. The care given to them is substandard.”

The nine Thai jumbos set to be sent Down Under have lived on Mahidol University’s Kanchanaburi campus for years. They were transferred there from Pang Chang, an elephant camp in Ayutthaya, Soraida said.

“Unfortunately, elephants are being used as bargaining chips by the Thai government in free-trade transactions,” she said.

Soraida added that following consultations with Ian Campbell, Australia’s minister for the environment and heritage, as well as several local animal rights associations, Australian authorities had agreed to reconsider the transaction pending the release of official clearance for the import of the Thai elephants.

“We have also petitioned the Thai government several times, but so far have received no response,” she said.

“We urge the Thai government to reconsider selling the elephants because animals are not chattel to trade at will.”

--The Nation 2005-05-06

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I totally agree Australia has not got a good Zookeeping record, zoo keeping has only become a recognised Trained qualification in the last 5 years, you only have to look at the poor condition of the elephants and tigers in Steve Irwins Australia zoo, semi skilled kangaroo and koala handlers have become experts on elephant and tigercare over night, badly trained tiger handlers in the Gold coasts dreamworld , have been attacked and tigers have died through their lack of knowledge and experience,I am not just having a whinge , I am a retired zoo curator also a qualified Master Zookeeper with a degree in zoological veterinary medicine and I have a proven back ground and reputation in zoo,s world wide, Leave the elephants where they are nignoy

[NedKelly]

Khun Soraida says that wild animals should be left in the wild. Well are the Bangkok streets 'wild' ? I guess they are in a sense, but not in the way referred to. There are not too many really 'wild' elephants left in Thailand and with the rate the forests and wild habitats are being destroyed, their existenc would be in jeopardy.

Encroachment on national park land is almost a national sport in Thailand as is procurement of land which is of dubious title, by wealthy Thais.

But if the elephants go to recognised Aussie Zoos they would get better care than they would in Thailand, more than likely.

[Boatabike]

Actually kanchanburi province is reported to have a herd of up to 700 wild elephants throughout its forrests, i heard this from a local park rangers, so it may be accurate but i am not going to go count them for anyone who finds it hard to believe ok.

[Nignoy]

Khun Soraida says that wild animals should be left in the wild. Well are the Bangkok streets 'wild' ? I guess they are in a sense, but not in the way referred to. There are not too many really 'wild' elephants left in Thailand and with the rate the forests and wild habitats are being destroyed, their existenc would be in jeopardy.

Encroachment on national park land is almost a national sport in Thailand as is procurement of land which is of dubious title, by wealthy Thais.

But if the elephants go to recognised Aussie Zoos they would get better care than they would in Thailand, more than likely.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Have yet to visit an aussie zoo that is wellrun, in 1999 Gondwana wildlife sanctuary in Brisbane was voted the best wildlife facility in the World by a board of international zoo,s and parks, but the Corporation that owned it, in cahoots with Brisbane Council closed it down so the land could be developed, now there is no accredited zoo in Queensland and please no repllies about Steve Irwins Australia zoo all Ican say to that is Crikey By the way I was the Curator of Gondwana Wildlife Sanctuary, Nignoy

[bina]

at the jerusalem zoo, the elephants ( a present from HM the King, together with thai caretakers) are very very well taken care of with full contact treatment (daily handling vetting also daily taken out to 'work'/play around the zoo,'enrichment programs etc. but pregnancy seems to be difficult ; at the ramat gan safari, i was appalled by the conditions (in winter,), lack of room, no 'furniture' no 'enrichment' bad feeding plan etc. but breed really well. they have a bull elephant that killed one handler somewhere else but breeds well, all their elephants are in a 'minimal contact' set up including one bull who was re instated to thailand ('chapati' i think he was callled)

always thought australia had good record?

that most of their zoos belong to the WAZA ?

...hey nignoy now i can check out about you actually our model is always san diego zoo its like the intel of the zoo world (not a wildlife sanctuary though)

know any zoo people in israel?

Edited May 7, 2005 by bina

[Johpa]

Seeing as there is little work for elephants in Thailand I would expect to see more elephants be "exported." As an elephant owner I know it is becoming increasingly difficult to find employment for them. And what do you so with an unemployed elephant? What you do is continue to pay a kwan chang and hope to find an area that has enough space for the elephant to roam and feed without trampling some farmers field which will require even more funds for compensation.

When I first bought the elephant nearly 20 years ago as part of the wedding package (and you folks complain about gold purchased as part of the dowery) most elephants were independently owned. But now many of the elephants are owned by the big elephant camp owners. This is not all bad as the largest owner (and others) is a great guy who really cares about the future of the elephants in Thailand. But it is no longer economical for these people to rent elephants form independent owners. So once they reach a certain number there is no need to expand and there is no work for those elephants owned by independents or small owners. The fate and care of these beasts is probelematic. We are looking to sell our elephant and baby as we see no future for the animals unless they are sent to one of the larger well funded pang changs. Needless to say, it is a buyers market.

Thailand has too many elephants and there should be no complaints "exporting" them to good institutions around the world.

[BrissyBoy]

Elephant lovers slam export to Australia

“We do not want the elephants transferred to man-made living places because wild animals belong in the wild,” said Soraida Salwala, founding director of the Friends of the Asian Elephant group.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I can remember seeing a documentry about how a lot of elephants were dying or put down because they were involved in car accidents.

This was primarily the "domesticated" elephants whom live in cities. Another cause was when the trucks they are travelling in have an accident.

I think they should be put in a park or wildlife reserve. Not paraded around the streets for the mahout selling sugar cane or bananas. Surely they would be better off in a zoo rather than smashing the pavement in sukumvit.