The international body responsible for issuing trade permits for endangered species (CITES), has been strongly criticized for allowing the sale of four, wild caught, baby elephants from Zimbabwe to zoos in China, after one of them died from the trauma.
CITES went against its own regulations, which prohibit licensing the sale of endangered species for commercial purposes, by issuing permits for the wild caught baby elephants to be flown to two zoos in mainland China in November, 2012. The wildlife regulator is now being accused of turning a blind eye in Zimbabwe.
There is also a global petition going around the world, to save 14 more young elephants that are in Zimbabwe, waiting to be transported to China sometime this month. Conservation groups are trying to stop this by all means, especially through online petitions to CITES.
The three that survived the trip to China are currently being kept alone in unfamiliar surroundings. The temperature in their new home is much colder than the African climate they were born in. This constitutes "risk of injury, damage to health and cruel treatment", which are prohibited by the CITES convention.
Johnny Rodrigues, chairman of the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force (ZCTF), told SW Radio Africa he was "disgusted" and "heartbroken" by these recent developments, because elephants are "just like humans" and taking their babies is just like kidnapping.
Rodrigues confirmed that one baby elephant had already died in China in December and 14 others are awaiting transport from Zimbabwe. He stressed that this must be stopped and pleaded with the international community to help.
"CITES is supposed to be there. I don't know how they even authorised this to happen. I mean, not so long ago they passed an appendix that said no trade in ivory , but then they give a license to export baby elephants from their own home territory to another," Rodrigues said.
He added: "These are the guardians around the world that are supposed to be protecting these animals. Now for them to actually accept and recognise and issue an license to Zimbabwe, the way I look at it there is a lot of greed and somebody is either being paid off or it's just things that don't make sense to me and it's disgusting."
Rodrigues explained that the 14 wild caught, young elephants awaiting transport to China will most likely be flown out of Zimbabwe after the required, three-month, veterinary quarantine period ends this month.
He pleaded: "We are asking the international community and anyone who cares to help us, prevent these animals from being destroyed. If they are going to die, let them die in their own territory with family members around. Elephants are amazing animals."
In a statement the Conservation Task Force said: "We are saddened and disgusted that these elephants have been removed from their mothers and the African bush to live alone in a cold unfriendly jail cell in a foreign country. We believe the temperature at the Xinjiang Tianshan Safari Park is less than 20 degrees Celcius below zero. It is highly unlikely the elephants will survive in the cold when they have been accustomed to temperatures of between 30 and 40 degrees."
A petition being circulated by AVAAZ, the global protest group, can be found here.
Comments Post a comment
People make me sick! Someone has to stop this. This world is going to hell in a handbasket thanks to the greed and ignorance of humans. God will sort you out one day!
I did not see the link to the petition. This is it: http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/CITES_Revoke_Zimbabwe_Elephant_Permits/?wN NLbcb
I don't believe the babies can survive this kind of trauma and I believe the mothers would have died protecting them. This goes against the Creator of heaven and earth, the animal kingdom, and every mother who ever knew love for a baby. Disgusting mentalities do this. I pray this wrong will be put right.
The URL for the petition mounted by World Citizens for Elephants is here: http://tinyurl.com/ZIM-STOP
Elephants are long-lived, sentient, intelligent, family oriented animals. For youngsters to be separated from their families at such a long age would cause immense psychological and emotional harm. Elephants in the wild walk hundreds of kilometres a day, to house them in tiny concrete "cells" and barren exhibits with hard flooring does damage to their feet and joints - Zoo elephants suffer from a number of ailments. WIld Caught Zoo elephants literally 'go mad' from the incarceration - scientifically this is described as displaying 'stereo-typic behaviour. we have all seen the swaying elephant, or the pacing tiger or bear in a zoo - this is a sign that they have lost their minds. Is this what we want to be part of?
In the 21st Century we must stop looking at these animals as mere commodities (or entertainment) and accord them a space and find creative ways in the wild that allows them to live alongside humanity. If there is an over-population of Elephants in Hwange - then let it be discussed to translocate to an area like Gorongosa NP - but keep the natal herds together.
Conservationists have for some time been grappling with the issues also raised in animal welfare and this situation with the wild caught elephants in Zimbabwe with four, now three since the one died in zoos in China - has both issues hitting the wall. What 'right' do humans have to literally kidnap young of a species to sell? On the other hand - money is needed to administer and keep the Parks a safe haven for animals, to ensure and optimal environment for all animals living within and crossing in and out of the boundaries. So in conservation terms we see species, we see habitat and ecosystems, in animal welfare terms we see individuals and think about their wellbeing. When an individual elephant would live upwards of 60 years in the wild; if they live the term of their natural lives, elephants in zoos die much younger than their wild counterparts, to put them in a zoo robs them of 20-40 years of their lives. In the wild the females are in the constant presence of their mothers and aunts and sisters they learn how to be an elephant as they grow up and when adults in turn teach their sisters and own young. In the wild, the males - after sexual maturity, form bond herds of bachelors, roaming together at times, off on their own at other times - but always coming back to be in the presence of other elephants, older males teach younger males how to act and be mature. How can we justify and morally defend the removal of calves under the age of 5 to live alone, without the guidance and teaching of how to be an elephant... in barren exhibits?
These issues are not stand alone, we cannot just write them off and say "Bah! looney bleeding heart tree huggers". If we are to be Stewards of the Planet rather than just consumers of the planet we must face up to these issues.
Some will say, what about humans? They are more important. It is a matter of where you place your value and this argument comes from people who oppose those of us who would seek to make a better world for everyone, humans included. But when you go to a doctor with an illness, he or she diagnoses you and if there is a problem sends you to a specialist, so there are doctors who specialise in hearts, brains, ear,nose & throat (ENT), cancer, osteo-athritis etc - and no one would say to the heart specialist man - "why don't you concentrate on livers?There are a lot of liver problems in the world you know!" In the same way let the animal welfare people concentrate on conservation and wellbeing of animals, and who is to say they don't also care and work for people in doing so? Because our Earth is all our earth, its the only one we have and we all must live on it. Every being, human being and other animals have a right to it and as much as is possible a right to it living free and unhindered and safe. It is our only home.
(Full URL:https://secure.avaaz.org/en/petition/CITES_Revoke_Zimbabwe_Elephant_Per mits/)
Truly awful! Now I want to sign the petition, which I can't find. Help?
See All Comments