Horror in Africa

African elephants being poached in unprecedented numbers.  They are disappearing from the continent as the poachers become increasingly militarized.

Full story here at the New York Times.

World Wildlife Fund Removes King Juan Carlos for Elephant Hunting

Good for them! What a hypocrite! It's not like Spain has enough problems now, it has to have an idiot king.

From EcoRazzi.....

King Juan Carlos may be the King of Spain, but he is no longer the honorary president of World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Spain due to his hunting and killing of elephants in Botswana, Treehugger reports.

Fallout Continues Over Juan Carlos' Elephant Hunting Trip

What an idiot. Read the full story on this NPR page...

As Spaniards grapple with severe austerity measures and 24 percent unemployment, their king is dealing with a different kind of pain — extreme embarrassment over public outrage upon his return from an elephant hunt in Africa that cost nearly $60,000, or more than twice the average salary in Spain. And the Spanish public only found out about the trip because he broke his hip — hence the recent surgery — and had to be airlifted home. The Royal Palace confirmed that this is the first time a Spanish king has ever said he's sorry — at least publicly — for anything. But it's not enough for Rafa Lucia, a social worker smoking in the rain outside a Madrid library. He's been jobless for months. The government cut his local school's budget by 30 percent. And the Royal Palace's budget? "They cut just 2 percent. And now this. It's like, OK, so the government doesn't cut [their budget], and now he's spending the money in Africa killing elephants," Lucia says. Adding Insult To Injury Spaniards can't decide which would be worse — whether their king might have spent public money on his jaunt to Botswana last week, or whether it was paid for by an Arab businessman courting favor, as some reports say. Either way, there are calls for the king's abdication.

King Juan Carlos, Honorary Head of World Wildlife Fund Spain, Caught in Elephant Hunt

D'oh! From the Wildlife Extra News....

April 2012. King Juan Carlos of Spain, Honorary President of WWF Spain, is recovering in hospital after breaking his hip in Botswana where he was on an elephant hunt. Apparently it isn't the first time the King has been shooting big game in Africa, or elsewhere (Apparently he killed a bear in Russia a few years ago too). Whilst not illegal, it shows a complete disregard for his 'subjects' and total contempt for his role as 'Honorary President of WWF Spain'.

Bob Barker Offers to Pay to Move Canadian Elephants to Sanctuary

I hope, when I reach their age, I'm as active and effective as Bob Barker and Betty White are in the animal rights movement.

Excerpted from CBC News....

Legendary game show host Bob Barker says it will cost $200,000 to move three elephants from the Toronto Zoo to a California sanctuary, and he doesn't mind paying for it himself.

Toronto city council voted in October to move the elephants to a facility run by PAWS (Performing Animal Welfare Society) near Galt, Calif., called ARK 2000.

The former host of The Price is Right, interviewed on CBC News Network on Monday, said the three female African elephants — Toka, Thika and Iringa — would be better off in a warmer climate.

"I don't think there should be elephants in Canada," said Barker, 88, during a live interview with CBC’s Carole MacNeil. "I love Canada and I love Canadians, but it's not the place for elephants and I think it's becoming obvious to the people up there.

"I grew up in South Dakota and I know a little bit about cold, and it's just not the place for an elephant."

Huge Ivory Seizure in Malaysia

Possibly the largest ever....full story here in Wildlife Extra News.

December 2011. Malaysian authorities have seized a staggering 15 tonnes of elephant ivory in Port Klang, just west of Kuala Lumpur; the sixth and by far the largest major seizure involving Malaysia in recent months, quite possibly the largest ever.

Attempted Delay in Toronto Elephants Transfer to Sanctuary

The zoo keepers at the Toronto are desperately trying to get the City Council to reconsider its decision to move three aging elephants to a sanctuary. They presented the Council with a petition with 1,100 signatures.

Controversial Elephant Death at San Diego Zoo

Here's the full article from the Los Angeles Times.....

An animal rights group has called for a federal investigation into the death of an elephant at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.

Umoya, a 21-year-old African elephant, died Thursday, possibly due to injuries suffered during an attack by another elephant.

The Northern California-based In Defense of Animals called for the Department of Agriculture, which does inspections of zoos, to investigate Umoya's death.

"This elephant's shocking death is another tragic example of how elephants suffer in inadequate and artificial zoo exhibits," said Catherine Doyle, elephant campaign director for the group.

As part of standard procedure, Umoya's death has already been reported to federal officials by the zoo.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals also criticized the zoo in the wake of the death. "Umoya should never have been removed from her home to begin with," said PETA spokesman David Perle.

Umoya was one of seven elephants brought to the Safari Park -- then known as the Wild Animal Park -- in 2003 from the African nation of Swaziland. The Safari Park has 18 elephants, including Umoya's two offspring.

PETA and In Defense of Animals oppose keeping elephants in zoos.

iego Zoo over death of elephant
November 19, 2011 | 8:28 am 6116

Followup: Some Zoo Keepers Fighting to Stop Elephant Transfer to Sanctuary

Excepted from the Toronto News....

War has erupted between Toronto Zoo elephant keepers and the animal rights group helping to co-ordinate a move of three aging elephants to a California sanctuary.

Zoocheck Canada’s Julie Woodyer told the Star she has rescinded an offer to pay for one of the dozen keepers to fly to the PAWS sanctuary this weekend with her and two councillors, Michelle Berardinetti and Raymond Cho.

She is also considering shutting the keepers out of training the pachyderms for the risky trip — a move the keepers say would be foolish and potentially dangerous for the animals they know better than anyone.

Woodyer said last week a trainer would be welcome on the trip, which follows council’s vote to override a zoo board decision to first look for an accredited zoo as a new home for Iringa, 42; Toka, 41; and Thika, 31.

That changed, she said, last Friday when one of the keepers started calling councillors directly, urging them to hold another vote and reverse the decision to send the animals to the 80-acre PAWS sanctuary in San Andreas.

“That’s insubordination — city staff can’t go above their managers’ head and do those kinds of things,” Woodyer said. “They were trying to sabotage the process. We’re happy to work with them but need them to be straight up and upfront with us.”

Toronto Zoo's Remaining Elephants to Go to Sanctuary

This is excellent news. Not only is Toronto closing its elephant exhibit, but the City Council voted to send the remaining elderly elephants to the Performing Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) sanctuary instead of another zoo.

Yay!

Lucy the Elephant's Case to be Heard by Canadian Supreme Court?

Could be.

Excerpted from CTV News....

The Supreme Court of Canada could be getting involved in the battle over the fate of an ailing elephant in an Edmonton zoo.

Animal rights groups are seeking leave to appeal to the high court in their ongoing fight to have Lucy the elephant moved to a warm-weather U.S. wildlife sanctuary.

PETA and Zoocheck have applied to challenge an Alberta Court of Appeal split decision last month that ruled against their plan to sue the City of Edmonton over Lucy.

One of the appeal court justices wrote a dissenting opinion, saying the groups should have public standing in the case and it should go to trial.

In their Supreme Court application, the groups say private citizens have a right to seek legal remedies to ensure that governments enforce animal protection laws.

"Every day that Lucy spends at the Valley Zoo, her condition continues to deteriorate," Jeffrey Kerr, a lawyer for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, said Wednesday

Woodland Park Zoo and its Controversial Elephant Breeding Efforts

An article in today's Seattle Times about Woodland Park Zoo's attempts over the last 20 years to breed elephants. Very controversial with organizations such as In Defense of Animals, PETA and the Northwest Animal Rights Network. They say it's cruel. The zoo claims it's to preserve the species....

Ten Worst Zoos for Elephants

This list was issued by In Defense of Animals last month.

Here they are...

San Antonio Zoo (Texas)
Edmonton Valley Zoo (Canada),
Buttonwood Park Zoo (Mass.),
Central Florida Zoo (Fla.),
Niabi Zoo (Ill.), Topeka Zoo (Kan.),
Honolulu Zoo (Hawaii),
Wildlife Safari (Ore.),
York's Wild Kingdom Zoo (Maine) tied with Southwick's Zoo (Mass.),
Pittsburgh Zoo's ICC (Penn.).

San Diego Zoo Safari Park (Calif.) earned a dishonorable mention.

I'm surprised that Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle didn't make it.

Asian Demand for Ivory Pushing Elephants to Extinction

Be warned. Very upsetting article.

Fight Continues to Release Lucy the Elephant

Here's an update on the battle to release the Lucy the Elephant to a sanctuary. She is the lone elephant at the Edmonton Zoo in Alberta, Canada.

UN Refuses to Re-open Ivory Trade

Zambia and Tanzania proposed re-opening the trade, but the UN said no.

PETA Sues the City of Edmonton

They are trying to get Lucy the Elephant moved to a sanctuary. She is the sole elephant at the Edmonton Valley Zoo.

There's a video available here too.

Sierra Leone's Elephant Population Near Extinction

Be warned. Awful picture here.

Again, it's all about the damn ivory.

Zambia Calls for Tougher Wildlife Crime Enforcement

Wildlife crime such as poaching and live animal smuggling is becoming increasingly sophisticated. This because it is being run by organized crime networks with professional and ruthless criminals. It's not just some guy with a gun and snare.

Zambia's Minister of the Environment and Natural Resources is calling for a greater cooperation between her country's agencies in dealing with this serious issue. The worst areas of wildlife crime appear to be in rhino and elephant poaching. Obviously, this is due to one word....ivory.

Ringling Brothers Wins Court Case Over Elephant Abuse

Pretty heavy blow.

US District Judge Emmet Sullivan signed the December 30 ruling in favor of Ringling's owner, Virginia-based Feld Entertainment Inc. (FEI) at the outset of a nine-year-old suit brought by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) that culminated in a six-week trial in March.

The ASPCA, Born Free USA (Animal Protection Institute), Animal Welfare Institute, Fund for Animals along with former Ringling animal trainer Tom Rider had accused the circus of shackling, confining and striking elephants with bullhooks, which have a sharp steel hook at one end.

Sullivan dismissed the star witness's testimony, saying Rider lied about receiving payments from animal activists and about his personal attachment to the giant animals.

"The court finds that Mr Rider is essentially a paid plaintiff and fact witness who is not credible, and therefore affords no weight to his testimony," Sullivan wrote in his ruling.

"Mr Rider's self-serving testimony at trial about his personal and emotional attachment to these elephants also is not credible because he did not begin to make complaints about how FEI treated its elephants until after he began accepting money from animal activists."