Heartbreaking story of elephant named Nina who was intentionally BLINDED by her cruel owners & left with…

Nina was held in chains and intentionally blinded by her owners, experts say

www.thesun.co.uk

Mark Hodge

A TORTURED elephant used for begging and as a prop for wedding processions was “intentionally blinded” by its cruel owners.

The elderly animal named Nina, aged 60, was rescued by charity Wildlife SOS in Uttar Pradesh, India.

The elephant’s eyeballs have collapsed or sunken after years of abuse

Initially, the abused elephant showed signs of PTSD such as severe anxiety and bobbing her head continually when saved earlier this year.

When elephants are captured in the wild in India they are often subjected to a brutal process called “Phajaan” which literally means “breaking of the spirit.”

The animal is put in a confined space where they are starved and beaten until they become subservient to their captors.

Shockingly, depraved people intentionally destroy the eyes of the elephants – blinding them – to gain more sympathy while begging.

Nina was also used in wedding processions where she was painted, made to carry heavy ornaments and forced to walk on hot tarmac roads from one ceremony to another surrounded by loud music.

And when she was not being brutally abused, the poor Asian elephant was held in chains, unable to move around.

The horrific work conditions and lack of proper nutrition and care led to Nina developing various physical ailments such as arthritis and damaged limbs as well as numerous scars and wounds on her body.

Dr Ilayaraja, Deputy Director of Veterinary Services at Wildlife SOS, told The Sun Online: “Nina suffers from a degenerative joint condition that affects her hind limbs. Her forelimbs are affected due to compensatory weight-bearing.

“Both eyes are damaged completely, possibly due to external trauma and lack of medical attention. She has been placed under a carefully calibrated diet to regain strength.”

After consultations with eye specialists from India and UK, the Wildlife SOS team was saddened to learn that Nina’s loss of vision was almost certainly intentionally inflicted.

Her left eyeball has completely collapsed due to an untreated injury and her right eye had shrunken.

Nina was rescued and brought to the charity’s Elephant Hospital Campus in Mathura, India first-ever medical facility for elderly and injured elephants.

STARVED AND BEATEN

She will now spend her remaining years being cared for by the team at Wildlife SOS where she is housed in an enclosure which is never changed so she can use her sense of smell and touch to navigate her way around.

The 60-year-old elephant often ventures out into the open field at the Wildlife SOS centre and even enjoys a shower every day.

Nina showed signs of discomfort in the initial days following her rescue as she found herself in a new environment, the charity says.

Yet, in the short time that the elephant has been with Wildlife SOS, she has grown comfortable with her caregiver and is adjusting to her free range enclosure.

Ms Tamarisk Grummit, who represents Wildlife SOS in the UK says, “Nina has found a happy and loving home at Wildlife SOS. Watching her evolve into a gregarious elephant is proof that we must continue treading the path to help Elephants in distress across India.”

IN GOOD HANDS

Kartick Satyanarayan, co-founder & CEO of Wildlife SOS, said: “India is the last stronghold for the Asian elephant population where 50 per cent of the remaining populations occur and it is critically important to conserve and protect this majestic species.

“At Wildlife SOS, we try our best to give the elephants a life of freedom and dignity. Caring for blind elephants, in particular, can be challenging as they require specialised care and constant monitoring.

“We are committed to creating a safer place for wildlife across India and change the perception of people towards wildlife.”

The charity, which relies on donations, is working towards raising funds for the care and upkeep of 33 elephants.

You can make a difference by contributing towards the cause at http://www.wildlifesos.org/donate.

For more details, visit wildlifesos.org or email info@wildlifesos.org. For any queries, contact the Wildlife SOS UK Campaign Officer, Debbie Haynes-+44 07831433106 Abused elephants are forced to walk for miles and then held in chains when they are not working The cracked feet of an elephant captured in the wild and then tortured in India

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/16257123/elephant-blinded-begging-india/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

Advocating for True Sanctuary for Hercules and Leo

A close-up photograph of chimpanzee Hercules at Project Chimps. Credit: Crystal Alba

By Courtney Fern on March 22, 2021

Today is the first day of our week of action in recognition of the suffering our clients have endured as a result of their imprisonment and with the hope they will soon be able to live freely and with peace and dignity.

A close-up photograph of chimpanzee Leo at Project Chimps. Credit: Crystal Alba

Yesterday, March 21^st, was the third anniversary of Hercules and Leo’s transfer from the New Iberia Research Center to Project Chimps. Last year, whistleblowers brought to light well-documented information that showed Project Chimps and the Humane Society of the United States (Project Chimps’ primary funder) were not fulfilling their commitment to provide true sanctuary to Project Chimps’ chimpanzee residents, including the NhRP’s clients Hercules and Leo. The NhRP called on Project Chimps and HSUS to take whatever steps and devote whatever resources are necessary to immediately provide Hercules and Leo with daily access to an outdoor habitat. To our knowledge, Hercules and Leo still spend a majority of their time confined to their housing structure.

Actions of the Day:

• Email Kitty Block, President and CEO of HSUS, and ask that Hercules and Leo are immediately provided with daily access to the outdoor habitat at Project Chimps. Kitty Block can be reached at kblock@humanesociety.org. A sample email: Dear Ms. Block, I am writing out of deep concern for Hercules and Leo, two chimpanzee residents of Project Chimps. Hercules and Leo suffered for years in a basement laboratory at Stony Brook University where they were subjected to invasive locomotion studies. Three years ago, Hercules and Leo were transferred to Project Chimps, which, at the time, claimed that they would spend the remainder of their lives at the sanctuary napping, foraging, and climbing pine trees. However, three years since their arrival at Project Chimps, their lives resemble nothing of what was promised. Hercules and Leo are confined to an indoor housing structure and an enclosed porch for all but a few hours a week. Outdoor access is integral to Hercules and Leo’s ability to exercise their autonomy and their physical and psychological health. Your organization took on the responsibility to provide lifetime care to Hercules and Leo and it is HSUS’ duty to provide them with true sanctuary, which includes the freedom to choose how to spend their days. I am deeply troubled that an organization with as ample resources as HSUS has not allocated funds to either expand the existing habitat at Project Chimps or build out a new one. Please take all steps necessary to immediately provide Hercules and Leo with daily access to an outdoor habitat. Sincerely,
  [Your name]
• Tweet at HSUS and Project Chimps asking that they do whatever necessary to provide Hercules and Leo with daily access to the outdoor habitat. A sample tweet is: “The @HumaneSociety and @ProjectChimps have deprived Hercules and Leo of true sanctuary for the past 3 years, confining them to housing structures for all but a few hours every week. This is unacceptable. Please immediately provide them with daily access to the outdoor habitat.” If you do not have Twitter or prefer to advocate on another social media platform, you can still help by sharing this blog post.

Thank you! Courtney Fern is the NhRP’s Director of Government Relations and Campaigns.

Subscribe to our email list to receive updates and learn about events and volunteer opportunities in your area.Nonhuman Rights Project

We are the only civil rights organization in the United States dedicated solely to securing rights for nonhuman animals.

© 2021 Nonhuman Rights Project, all rights reserved.

https://www.nonhumanrights.org/blog/advocating-for-true-sanctuary-for-hercules-and-leo/

Sanctuaries for Dolphins

Establishing a sanctuary for formerly captive dolphins is no easy feat. The Umah Lumba Rehabilitation, Release and Retirement Center was established through partnership with the Indonesian government! Learn more at: https://t.co/s70leE3h8Y #DolphinProject #FreeBaliDolphins pic.twitter.com/cmZx7UcPWx

— Dolphin Project (@Dolphin_Project) January 10, 2021

Two beluga whales complete journey from captivity in China to care sanctuary in Iceland

travelandsport.pw

Nevertheless, a pair of belugas, named Little Grey and Little White, are enjoying their first taste of the sea since 2011, thanks to a leviathan relocation project that has been years in the making.

After being captured at a very young age off the coast of Russiaand spending years in a Chinese aquarium, the whales are about to get used to the freedom of an 8-acre sanctuary at Klettsvik Bay in Iceland.

“It’s been quite the journey for these two,” Audrey Padgett, the Beluga Whale Sanctuary’s general manager, told CNN on a video call in front of the belugas. “It hasn’t been easy, but it’s definitely been a labor of love.”

Back in 2011, Little Grey and Little White were moved from a Russian research facility to the Changfeng Ocean World aquarium in Shanghai. The following year, the aquarium was bought by Merlin Entertainments, a company opposed to keeping whales and dolphins in captivity.
And so the idea of taking the whales back to the sea was born.

The belugas’ new home, run by the Sea Life Trust charity, is a much “larger, natural environment” with lots of potential benefits, Padgett said.

More than 300 belugas are in captivity around the world, she told CNN.

“Some belugas are in cramped and unsuitable conditions,” she added. “And if what we can learn here from Little White and Little Grey can help improve welfare for other animals … that’s really the point.”

Although Padgett wasn’t involved in the logistics of transporting the whales from China, she stressed that moving two belugas was no easy task.

They each weigh a little more than a ton and consume around 110 pounds of fish per day between them.

The operation involved specially designed equipment, veterinarians and a whole lot of water and ice to keep them hosed down, Padgett said.

The belugas had bespoke “stretchers” or slings to move them overland, and the team did “practice runs” to get them used to being moved via trucks, tugboats and cranes, according to Padgett.

“If you’re trying to take your cat or your dog somewhere, you want them to have a positive association with travel … We had to make the belugas a comfortable as possible,” Padgett continued.

After their arrival in Iceland, the whales were kept in a care facility with a quarantine pool for several months,to allow them to adjust to the colder Icelandic environment.

And though the final leg of the journeyfrom the care facility to the sanctuary was a shorter one, the Covid-19 pandemic complicated it significantly.

“We’re already in a pretty remote location here in Iceland. It affected our ability to get experts here to help us with the move. It affected our ability to get supplies and just the length of time it took to do things,” Padgett told CNN.

“We also needed to protect our staff and put them into quarantine, because we need our people to take care of our animals.”

Little Grey and Little White’s odyssey isn’t quite over. They are currently in an “acclimatization space” within the sanctuarythat will allow them to adjust safely to their new home.

Padgett says, however, that they will have free rein of the sanctuary any day now.

Little Grey and Little White will be assessed around the clockas they get used to being back in the ocean environment.

And while the whales benefit from more space to explore and new kinds of seaweed, kelp and fish to enjoy, the whole operation also helps humans understand belugas better, Padgett explains.

“It’s kind of the finish line for these two,” she said, “but it’s a new chapter for belugas around the world.”

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Court orders the release of Kaavan the ‘mentally tormented’ elephant

dailymail.co.uk

4-5 minutes

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• An online petition for Kaavan the elephant had gained over 280,000 signatures
• He was brought to the Islamabad zoo from Sri Lanka in the mid-1980s 
• Caretakers responded to his aggression by chaining his legs and beating him
• Animal rights groups have launched petitions to cover the costs of moving him

A court has ordered the release of a ‘mentally ill’ bull elephant to a sanctuary after 35 years suffering in a Pakistani zoo. 

Local and international animal rights organizations launched a campaign to free Kaavan the elephant a year ago after reports that zookeepers were beating him and denying him food. 

The Islamabad High Court today ordered wildlife officials to consult with Sri Lanka, where the Asian elephant came from, to find him a ‘suitable sanctuary’ within 30 days. 

An online petition gained over 280,000 signatures and small protests were held outside Marghazar Zoo. 

The campaign also attracted international attention, with rights groups and celebrities, including the singer Cher, calling for the elephant to be moved to a more humane facility.

After hearing the news of his release today, Cher said: ‘This is one of the greatest moments of my life.’The plight of Kaavan, a mentally tormented bull elephant confined to a small pen in an Islamabad Zoo for nearly three decades, has galvanized a rare animal rights campaign in PakistanPakistani caretaker Mohammad Jalal sits next to Kaavan the elephant at Marghazar Zoo in Islamabad Animal rights groups called on Pakistan to relocate Kaavan to an animal sanctuary. But the Capital Development Authority, the local agency in charge of managing the zoo, had refused

‘The pain and suffering of Kaavan must come to an end by relocating him to an appropriate elephant sanctuary, in or outside the country,’ the court ordered, criticising the zoo for failing to meet the animal’s needs for the past three decades. 

The court has also ordered dozens of other animals – including brown bears, lions and birds – to be relocated temporarily while the zoo improves its standards. 

Elephants are gregarious by nature, and males can become aggressive when they are separated from the herd. 

Kaavan, who was brought to the zoo from Sri Lanka in the mid-1980s, grew even more unruly when the female elephant he was being kept with died in 2012.

Activists say caretakers responded to his aggression by chaining his legs, beating him and confining him to an enclosure that was far too small.

Sunny Jamil, an activist at the Help Welfare Organization – a local animal rights group – said the mangled ceiling fan in the roof of the enclosure testifies to its insufficient height. 

Jamil, who visits the zoo regularly, says the pen can reach 40 degrees Celsius (100 F) in the summer, and that the elephant is given little water to cool down. ‘It is cruel,’ he said.Kaavan, who was brought to the zoo from Sri Lanka in the mid-1980s, grew more unruly when the female elephant he was being kept with died in 2012 Activists say caretakers have responded to his aggression by chaining his legs, beating him, and confining him to an enclosure that is far too small 

Mohammad Jalal, the caretaker for the 36-year-old elephant, said: ‘I have hardly seen him happy.’ 

Kaavan swayed back and forth as Jalal spoke – a sign of mental torment – and at one point hurled a brick at onlookers.

Animal rights groups have launched petitions to cover the costs of the move to the sanctuary. 

The Capital Development Authority, the local agency in charge of managing the zoo, had originally refused the transfer – perhaps fearing it would lose visitors. 

Instead, it had worked on bringing in another female elephant, said Sanaullah Aman, an official with the agency. 

Aman denied the allegations of abuse and said ‘every possible step’ was being taken for Kaavan’s wellbeing, without elaborating.Mohammad Jalal, the caretaker for the 36-year-old elephant, said: ‘I have hardly seen him happy’

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8348989/amp/Court-orders-release-Kaavan-mentally-tormented-bull-elephant.html?ico=amp_articleRelated

A MESSAGE SENT

change.org

UPDATE ON ACTIONS

As part of our collaboration within the Stakeholders Working Group (SWG), we sent the following clarification of some of our organization’s positions to SWG members. In the spirit of transparency, we thought you all would also appreciate reading this, to keep you in the mix regarding our participation on behalf of you and our wildlife.

Background:

The SWG comprises the Bureau of Engineering (BOE: Cyril Charles project manager of this Master Plan process), LA Department of Water and Power (LADWP: Deborah Weintraub), our Councilmembers Ryu and O’Farrell’s Deputies and a Design Team led by Hargreaves Associates. The SWG also includes five Silver Lake community groups including ourselves — SL Wildlife Sanctuary, SL Now, SL Reservoirs Conservancy, SL Forward, and SL Neighborhood Council.

This group has met every 6-8 weeks since May 2019 to review and give input for the Silver Lake Master Plan. We sent the below letter in advance of the SWG’s meeting that took place Thursday March 5. Please note that some of the issues below were acknowledged and discussed at that meeting, but with no definitive outcomes except for the perimeter fence issue. The meeting minutes will be added to the Master Plan website sometime soon: https://eng.lacity.org/slrcmp-stakeholders

Text of the email we sent to all SWG members, in response to comments about our areas of concern:

1. Education/Café Building and other added structures. SLWS is not anti-education. But we and our supporters did object to how the questionnaires were worded on that topic. For example, people were asked if they wanted nature education. They were not asked, “Do you favor habitat replaced by a classroom building at water’s edge and The Knoll topped by a prominent and permanent shade structure?” Stakeholders and SLWS said yes to the Reservoirs Complex being a site for nature education, not to nature being displaced by new buildings and other structures. In the words of an area schoolteacher, “Nature itself is the ‘classroom.’ ”

2. Incomplete reporting of community opinions. The reports and graphs only included statistical results from the questionnaires, mostly completed by persons who did not attend the Workshops and therefore were not as fully informed as those who participated in the Workshops. To show a more complete picture of our community, especially the constituents who took the time and trouble to attend, the Community Workshop findings need more than a passing mention in all reports and graphs.

3. Family representation. It was claimed that families were underrepresented at the Workshops. In fact, we recognized many at the Workshops who are parents. Indeed, this argument was negated by pointing out that so many families and kids from King participated in the Marshall Workshop. And at that workshop there was nearly unanimous support for passive recreation and preserving nature.

4. Perimeter Fence. While features such as swimming and boating that were rejected by the community are remaining in the MP as options “for future consideration”, the community was not even given a chance to discuss including perimeter fencing in the MP. However, having reached out to the City Councilmembers, we feel our concerns have now been heard through the recent exchanges between Meghen, Christine, Rachel, Jill and Andrea*, and ourselves. Through Christine and Rachel, we received assurance from CD13 and CD4, respectively, that this issue will be seriously discussed with the community and agreement reached before any removal is considered.

5. Equity. We object to anyone implying that those who don’t share one person’s or group’s vision must be elitists who want our community to become ‘gated’. That’s simply wrong. We want the Reservoirs Complex protected so people from everywhere can enjoy nature and wildlife in a safe and relaxed way, without too many programmed activities and added structures displacing habitat for wildlife or natural views for visitors.

The fact is, SLWS is very concerned about equity, which is why we have opposed all commercial activities, because monetized and programmed features can only be enjoyed by those who can afford to pay, or by those who can participate in the programmed activity, or by those who may profit from it.

We will continue to collegially agree to disagree on certain factors and trust that we all will do our best to avoid misinterpreting the views of any SWG members.

On behalf of our constituents,
Silver Lake Wildlife Sanctuary Board

Jane Cook
Mike Krose
Janis Purins
Freda Shen

End of Text Sent

• Meghen Quinn (lead architect, Hargreaves Associates), Christine Peters (CD 13 Deputy), Rachel Fox (CD 4 Deputy), Jill and Andrea (SL Now)

We are continuing to push for further improvements for the conservation of nature and wildlife within this collaborative process.

And thanks to your continuing activism, the plans have in some ways improved for wildlife, with some anti-nature features scaled back.

Onward together!

Your Team at Silver Lake Wildlife Sanctuary

http://www.silverlakewildlifesanctuary.org
https://www.instagram.com/silverlakewildlife/
https://www.change.org/p/let-s-establish-a-silver-lake-wildlife-sanctuary

Nova Scotia coast chosen as potential home for retired whales raised in captivity – Halifax | Globalnews.ca

By Michael Tutton The Canadian Press

A U.S.-based conservation group has chosen a site in Nova Scotia where it plans to build a kind of retirement home for whales raised in captivity.

The Whale Sanctuary Project announced Tuesday that it wants to provide a home for about eight whales in a 40-hectare inlet southeast of Sherbrooke, N.S., at Port Hilford, along the province’s rugged and lightly populated Eastern Shore.

Charles Vinick, director of the non-profit group, says it still requires provincial and federal permits and an estimated $12 to $15 million for capital costs.

Group narrows search for beluga retirement site to two sites off Nova Scotia

The project involves installing nets to enclose an inlet, creating an area where the retired orca and beluga whales are free to swim and dive deeply, while still being fed and cared for by the group.

Vinick says consultation work will continue with the small communities in the area, as well as with a group of lobster fishermen who have fished the local waters.

However, he also says strong community support for the project has been key to selecting the Nova Scotia option over possibilities in British Columbia and Washington State.

Vinick says the pristine waters about 200 kilometres northeast of Halifax offer an expansive area in a bay that’s open to the ocean but is sheltered from storms.

He says his group’s past experience with captured whales is that they cannot re-adapt to life in the wild without assistance.

“You might think of it as retirement, or assisted living. These whales have raised tens of millions of dollars for their park owners, and they’ve entertained millions of people, and we owe something back,” said Vinick.

The plan to locate a sanctuary in Nova Scotia comes in the wake of Parliament passing Bill S-203 last year to bring an end to the captivity of whales and dolphins in Canada.

“Whales and dolphins are highly intelligent, emotionally sensitive and socially complex animals,” said Dr. Lori Marino, president of the Whale Sanctuary Project.

Marineland, Vancouver Aquarium shipping beluga whales out of Canada ahead of new law

“In the confines of a concrete tank at a marine park they suffer chronic stress and then often fatal illness. Relocating them to an ocean environment will give them a healthier life where they can thrive.”

Dr. Stephen Flemming, director of the nearby Sherbrooke Village Museum, said in a news release that he’s “delighted at the prospect of having a whale sanctuary nearby.”

Vinick said the group intends to work with schools and museums to offer educational programs about the whales at the sanctuary and their counterparts in the wild.

The Whale Sanctuary Project’s objective is to have the sanctuary ready to receive whales by the end of 2021.

Vinick estimates the annual cost will be $2 million – including a veterinary clinic staffed full-time and a nearby interpretation centre.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 25, 2020.

Continue reading here.

https://globalnews.ca/news/6592906/nova-scotia-coast-chosen-as-potential-home-for-retired-whales-raised-in-captivity/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

© 2020 The Canadian Press

180 Sheep Destined for Slaughter Given Second Chance After Cargo Ship Capsizes

ladyfreethinker.org
Image Credit: FOUR PAWS/Instagram

Nearly 200 sheep have a new lease on life after surviving a disaster at sea, and now get to live out their lives in peace at farm animal sanctuaries.

Last November, the Queen Hind cargo ship capsized near the Romanian coast while carrying around 14,000 sheep. All of the ship’s crew members survived, but thousands of sheep lost their lives due to drowning, injuries, and exhaustion.

The ship sinking merely expedited the grim fate of thousands of its passengers as they headed toward Saudi Arabian slaughterhouses. Fortunately, 180 of these gentle creatures withstood the tragic event long enough to be rescued.

The rescuers, also members of animal welfare groups, lobbied for the sheeps’ liberation from the meat trade. Granting their request, Four Paws and their Romanian partner ARCA are working to find sanctuaries to provide homes for the surviving animals.

“We are happy that the Romanian authorities placed the sheep in our care and will continue cooperating with them closely,” said Four Paws Head of the Disaster Relief Unit Jackson Zee. “Shortly after their arrival, our team on-site began to examine them and determine their future care. So far, they are mostly in good condition. Now, they can rest and recover from all the suffering they’ve had to endure recently.”

The sheep are safe at a farm near Bucharest, receiving veterinary treatment. They will remain at the farm until permanent living situations are secured, which shouldn’t be difficult considering numerous individuals and rescues have already come forward to offer new homes for the rescued animals.

For the 180 sheep that overcame the odds, the story ends happily ever after, but for the thousands who died, this tragedy is a powerful reminder that animals are not safe during long-distance transport.

“Our association is shocked by the disaster,” said president of Acebop Mary Pana. “If we cannot protect livestock during long-distance transports, we should outright ban them.”

The easiest way to avoid contributing to such cruelty is to leave animals off your plate and choose plant-based foods instead.

https://ladyfreethinker.org/180-sheep-destined-for-slaughter-given-second-chance-after-cargo-ship-capsizes/?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=Email

Freedom 🐻

Dasha and Katia were made to perform up to three shows a day for 24 years in Ukraine. They were rescued and flown to a sanctuary. 🐻❤️@Protect_Wldlife @PeterEgan6 @_AnimalAdvocate @RobRobbEdwards @ARCrusade @shaunwalters041 @Ivy_Middleton @AVE_rockies https://t.co/EII6vSfp5B

— Xpose Trophy Hunting (@XposeTrophyHunt) October 11, 2019

Denmark buys last circus elephants so they can retire – CBBC Newsround

09 September 2019

Image copyright Getty Images Denmark-has-bought-four-elephants
Image caption The elephants are called Ramboline, Lara, Djunga and Jenny

The government in Denmark has bought four elephants from Danish circuses in order to give them a proper retirement.

The elephants, who are called Ramboline, Lara, Djunga and Jenny, are the last four circus elephants in the country.

The government is paying 11 million Danish krone – about £1.3 million – for the animals.

The Danish government is planning to introduce a total ban on wild animals in circuses later this year.

They also said they are not yet sure where the elephants will live but anyone who have a suitable space should make themselves known.
More elephants stories

Capturing baby African elephants for zoos and circuses is banned

Wild animals to be ‘banned from travelling circuses’

Nine reasons why we love elephants

Crisis in Africa: Elephants and ivory
Image copyright Getty Images The-Gartner’s-training-elephants-family-performs-during-the gala-of-the-43th-Monte-Carlo-International-Circus-Festival-in-Monaco
Image caption Elephants like these at the Monte Carlo International Circus Festival have been used as performers for hundreds of years, but it is becoming much less common as many more countries opt to ban the use of wild animals in circuses.

In May 2019, the UK government announced a new law to ban travelling circuses from using wild animals, with MP Michael Gove saying “Travelling circuses are no place for wild animals in the 21st Century.”

It was decided at a big wildlife conference in August that baby African elephants will no longer be taken from the wild in order to be sold to zoos and circuses.

Earlier this year, a circus in Germany became the first in the world to use holograms instead of real animals in its acts

https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/amp/49607433?__twitter_impression=true
More on this story
Wild animals to be ‘banned from travelling circuses’

02 may 2019
Should wild animals perform in circus shows?

28 october 2015

Copyright © 2019 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

Petition: Save Tikiiri From Barbaric Abuse

change.org

Joanna Davidson started this petition to Ranil Wickremesinghe

This is Tikiiri, a 70 year old ailing female. She is one of the 60 elephants who must work in the service of the Perahera Festival in Sri Lanka this year. Tikiri joins in the parade early every evening until late at night every night for ten consecutive nights, amidst the noise, the fireworks, and smoke. She walks many kilometers every night so that people will feel blessed during the ceremony. No one sees her bony body or her weakened condition, because of her costume. No one sees the tears in her eyes, injured by the bright lights that decorate her mask, no one sees her difficulty to step as her legs are short shackled while she walks.

For a ceremony, all have the right to belief as long as that belief does not disturb or harm another. How can we call this a blessing, or something holy, if we make other lives to suffer?

Today is World Elephant Day. We cannot bring a peaceful world to the elephant if we still think that this image is acceptable.

To love, to do no harm, to follow a path of kindness and compassion, this is the Way of Buddha. It is time to follow.

This needs to stop.

https://www.change.org/p/ranil-wickremesinghe-save-tikiiri-from-barbaric-abuse?recruiter=336157183&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=psf_combo_share_message&utm_term=psf_combo_share_initial&recruited_by_id=f826d250-2250-11e5-81c8-499d538ddc07&share_bandit_exp=message-17221985-en-GB&share_bandit_var=v1

We ask you the prime minister of Sri Lanka to end this barbaric torture and abuse.

ทิกกิรี ช้างแก่คราวทวด เป็นหนึ่งในช้างหกสิบเชือกที่เข้าร่วมเดินพิธีแห่ในงานเทศกาลเพราเฮลาในปีนี้ นี่คือสภาพช้างที่เหมือนซากศพเดินได้ ที่มนุษย์บังคับให้เธอเดินในพิธีแห่งบุญ เธอต้องเดินตั้งแต่หัวค่ำจนถึงใกล้รุ่งทุกวัน ท่ามกลางเสียงมโหรี ที่บรรเลงตลอดทางและสองข้างทางหนาแน่นไปด้วยผู้คนที่ส่งเสียงอื้ออึง เธอเดินย่ำไปบนท้องถนนที่ร้อนท่ามกลางควันไปที่หนาทึบจากการจุดประทัดและเผามะพร้าว
ทุกคนที่ยืนอยู่ตรงนั้นตกตะลึงในเครื่องแต่งกายของช้างและริ้วขบวนที่อลังการ แต่ทุกคนลืมมองไปที่ดวงตาของพวกเขา ไม่มีใครเห็นเท้าทั้งสี่ผูกโซ่อย่างแน่นหนาเดินไปบนท้องถนนที่เสียงโซ่กระทบดังไปตลอดทาง ไม่มีใครมองเห็นร่างกายที่ผอมเกร็ง อ่อนล้า ที่ซ่อนภายใต้ผืนอาภรณ์ที่ประดับทิกกิรี
ศาสนาพุทธสอนให้เรามีความเมตตาและไม่เบียดเบียนผู้อื่น แต่การบังคับช้างที่อยู่ในสภาพอย่างนี้มาเดินขบวนมันขัดต่อหลักศาสนา ที่เราเชื่ออยู่ ความเมตตาที่แท้จริงคือการมองทุกชีวิตมีความหมายและมีค่าเท่ากัน

Celebrating Raju’s 5th Rescue Anniversary with Wildlife SOS!

Riverbanks Zoo In South Carolina Is Closing Their Elephant Exhibit Which Landed On In Defense of Animals’ “Worst Zoo” List – World Animal News

By Karen Lane –
June 27, 2019

In Defense of Animals has welcomed the recent announcement by Riverbanks Zoo and Garden in Columbia, South Carolina, that it will be closing its elephant exhibit.
In 2017, the facility was placed on In Defense of Animals’ annual list of the 10 Worst Zoos for Elephants In North America, following the death of two elephants within six months of each other. Petunia was euthanized at age 44 in December of 2016 after she was found in her exhibit unable to stand. A second elephant, 37-year-old Penny, died at the zoo in May 2017.
Two remaining elephants at Riverbanks Zoo, Belle and Robin, will be sent to a new location which has reportedly not yet been determined. In Defense of Animals is calling for the elephants to be retired to a sanctuary.
“We are overjoyed that Riverbanks Zoo and Garden has finally acknowledged that its elephant exhibit is not suitable for remaining elephants Belle and Robin,” Marilyn Kroplick M.D., President of In Defense of Animals, said in a statement. “When two relatively young elephants die within six months of each other, there is clearly a problem. Riverbanks Zoo is making the right decision to close its elephant exhibit, and we urge the Zoo to send Belle and Robin to an accredited sanctuary where they can enjoy peace, privacy and a more natural environment than zoos can provide.”
“This is a victory for elephants and for members of the public who have become aware that captive facilities are no place for wild animals,” stated Laura Bridgeman, Director of In Defense of Animals’ elephant campaign.

https://worldanimalnews.com/riverbanks-zoo-in-south-carolina-is-closing-the-elephant-exhibit-that-landed-it-on-in-defense-of-animals-worst-zoo-list-in-2017/

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First sanctuary for rescued dolphins opens on Greek island of Lipsi | TornosNews.gr

tornosnews.gr

First sanctuary for rescued dolphins opens on Greek island of LipsiIts aim is to offer refuge to stranded, injured and formerly captive dolphins, which is part of the initiative to end the exploitation of dolphins in zoos all over the world

The world’s first permanent sanctuary for dolphins rescued from captivity was founded by the Archipelagos Institute of Marine Conservation, according to int.ert.gr.

The sanctuary is situated on a small, beautiful bay on the north side of the Lipsi island and its aim is to offer refuge to stranded, injured and formerly captive dolphins, which is part of the initiative to end the exploitation of dolphins in zoos all over the world.

“We decided to create the world’s first Marine Life Sanctuary in the Aegean, wishing to achieve a great goal, while at the same time honoring the Greek cultural heritage, as the first country to protect dolphins by law over 2500 years ago!” noted the Archipelagos Marine Protection Institute’s research director Anastasia Miliou.

The exploitation of dolphins for commercial gains and the entertainment of children and adults is being attacked by environmental organizations around the globe. However, the International Law prohibits the dolphins’ release in the open seas.

The Archipelagos Institute decided to offer a solution. After carrying out extensive studies, the institute elected Vroulia’s narrow gulf to create a sanctuary where formerly captive dolphins could be transported. Under surveillance and in a safe environment, the dolphins will be able to get back their hunter’s instinct so that later on they could be released into their natural environment.

“Today, there are 2,913 dolphins in captivity around the world. We want them to be released, because it is scientifically proven that they have a high degree of intelligence and they are suffering in captivity” Ms. Miliou explains, underlining that the Aegean Marine Life Sanctuary in Lipsi will serve as a prototype, with a view to develop others in every corner of the planet”.

https://www.tornosnews.gr/en/tornos/green-travel/35905-first-sanctuary-for-rescued-dolphins-opens-on-greek-island-of-lipsi.html

Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons License: CC-BY-SA Copyright: Sbork

Petition: They cut the claws of a lioness to play with tourists, rescue her!

sosvox.org

We can not continue to allow these abuses in the sight of everyone and that nobody does anything. This lioness was MUTILATED so that some people could approach her to play. This madness happened in the zoo of the Palestinian city of Rafah, a place that should be closed and its animals taken to sanctuaries, because they surely have done similar things with other animals.

Let’s do something, these places can not be anyone’s land to do what they want with animals, there are international laws, and if there are not there should be. Please, ask the Government of Israel to rescue the animals of that zoo and take them to a sanctuary or something similar where they can live happily without being mistreated.

SIGN AND SHARE THIS PETITION

https://www.sosvox.org/en/petition/they-cut-the-claws-of-a-lioness-to-play-with-tourists-rescue-her.html?fl

Morgan Freeman converted his 124-acre ranch into a giant honeybee sanctuary to save the bees

positiveoutlooksblog.com
Farah R. | Positive Outlooks

Morgan Freeman has a long list of titles to his name – esteemed American actor, philanthropist, a narrator, film director, and most recently – beekeeper.

The Shawshank Redemption star has converted his 124-acre Mississipi ranch into a bee sanctuary, with a mission to help counter the decreasing population of these insects. Freeman first got his hands into beekeeping in 2014. He talked about this endeavor when he guested on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. Prior to his appearance on the show, he had only been beekeeping for a few weeks.

During his interview, Freeman discussed his firsthand experience with the bees as well as the important role of these insects in the preservation of a healthy environment.

He spoke about why he started beekeeping, saying:

“There is a concerted effort for bringing bees back onto the planet…We do not realize that they are the foundation, I think, of the growth of the planet, the vegetation…”

26 beehives were imported from Arkansas to his ranch in Mississippi. He has been working with the bees by feeding them sugar water and admitted that he has never worn a bee suit and hat, revealing that they haven’t stung him yet. He also has no plans of harvesting their honey and disturbing their beehives for money.

“They haven’t [stung me] yet, because right now I’m not trying to harvest honey or anything, I’m just feeding them… I think they understand, “Hey, don’t bother this guy, he’s got sugar water here.”‘, he shared.

To encourage the bees to visit his home, he has been growing bee-friendly plants in the ranch such as lavenders, clovers, magnolia trees, etc.

Freeman’s venture into beekeeping couldn’t have come at a more opportune time. The Environmental Protection Agency has listed Colony Collapse Disorder as a principal cause of bee population decline over the past five years.

If this decrease continues, a number of ecological and agricultural issues will arise, since bees are key plant pollinators. In fact, domestic and wild honeybees account for around 80 percent of worldwide pollination, according to data from Greenpeace.

The organization has reported that humans are responsible for the two main causes of declining bee populations: pesticides and habitat loss.

Bees have been dying due to other factors such as drought, nutrition deficit, global warming and air pollution among other factors.

Greenpeace suggested crucial steps that would help protect the bees significantly:

The elimination of the seven most dangerous pesticides
The preservation of wild habitat to protect pollinator health
The restoration of ecological agriculture

A big thanks to Morgan Freeman for doing his part to save the bees! May this inspire more people to follow his example and take their own steps in saving our planet.

Watch his interview below on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon as he talks about his beekeeping venture.

https://positiveoutlooksblog.com/morgan-freeman-converted-ranch-to-bee-sanctuary/

Tagged as: American actor, Arkansas, bee sanctuary, beekeeper, beekeeping, bees, environment, Mississippi, Morgan Freeman, ranch, save the bees, The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon

“Freedom for Hoover the Tiger After Life Spent in Circus Cage”

“Lions rescued from Romanian zoo released into South African sanctuary”

Sign Petition: Send Dolphinaris Arizona Dolphins to a Real Sanctuary

thepetitionsite.com

Four dolphins are seeing no end to their suffering, from the desert to disease to dirty waters. We need to get them to a real sanctuary now.

Even before the construction of Dolphinaris Arizona, a swim-with-the-dolphins tourist attraction in the desert near Scottsdale, animal welfare advocates warned that the desert was no place for dolphins. Not only do summer temperatures there often reach triple digits, but dolphins already stressed out from being in captivity would be more susceptible to valley fever, a deadly fungal disease.

These concerns were ignored. Dolphinaris Arizona opened in October 2016 and tragically, by January 2019, four of its eight dolphins had died. The facility announced it was temporarily closing while it was inspected by outside experts. One month later, Dolphinaris Arizona announced that it will permanently end its dolphin exhibition.

This seems like really good news, but unfortunately the four surviving dolphins have been shipped to another controversial location. They will now live in captivity at Coral World Ocean Park’s new St. Thomas Sea Sanctuary in the Virgin Islands. This facility “has faced heavy opposition and controversy mainly due to its location being vulnerable to extreme weather and frequent contamination with runoff,” according to the nonprofit Dolphin Project.

These dolphins have been through enough, they do not deserve more suffering, sickness and potential death. This is not a solution to the unethical captivity of the dolphins.

Please sign and share this petition asking Coral World Ocean Park to release them to a safer sanctuary.

https://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/159/705/240/?z00m=31399727&redirectID=2836082467

Seize Tigers From Reportedly Cruel Circus Handlers

Two Russian tiger handlers have been accused of sadism after they reportedly resorted to rough measures following a tiger’s collapse. The pair’s defense of their actions has led many to believe that this is not the first time their animals have suffered this way. Sign this petition to have these poor creatures removed from the pair’s custody.

Source: Seize Tigers From Reportedly Cruel Circus Handlers

600 Dead Olive Ridley Sea Turtles Wash Ashore In India After Being Caught By Fishing Trawlers And Dumped – Sea Voice News

seavoicenews.com
by Alex Larson →

Roughly 600 dead Olive Ridley sea turtles and two dolphins have washed ashore in the last two days on beaches for Hukitola to Eakakula in the Garirmatha marine sanctuary areas in India.

The suspected death of the turtles were result of being hit by fishing trawlers or entangled in nets out at sea. Fishing is not allowed within 20 kilometers fof the Garirmatha marine sanctuary but according to Hemant Rout, an environmentalist and secretary of Gahirmatha Marine Turtles and Mangrove Conservation Society, fishing trawlers routinely do fish there without being interrupted.

Bycatch is one of the biggest concerns to marine animals across the world, particularly sharks, sea turtles and whales whose overall numbers are sharply declining world wide.

The Olive Ridley sea turtle, which are closely related to the severely endangered Kemp’s Ridley, is considered the most abundant of sea turtles but numbers are sharply declining due to people taking eggs out of nests, the female turtles being slaughtered when they come ashore to lay eggs, and due to bycatch.

Olive Ridley sea turtles come to the Gahirmatha, India in large numbers for annual nesting. As they make their way to the shorelines, they get swept up by fishing trawlers where they drown due to not being able to reach the surface. Once aboard the vessels, the trawlers toss any unwanted catch back into the sea, dead or alive. Most likely, the sea turtles washed ashore were caught this way and were dead as the current brought them to the coastline.

Speaking to The New India Express, Forest Range Officer of Gahirmatha Srirampada Arabinda Mishra said the State Government has imposed a ban order on fishing activities inside the marine sanctuary from November 1, 2018 to May 31, 2019 to protect the sea turtles.

Forest officials have already arrested around 380 fishermen and seized 83 fishing vessels on charges of illegally fishing in Gahirmatha.

http://seavoicenews.com/2019/02/03/600-dead-olive-ridley-sea-turtles-wash-ashore-in-india-after-being-caught-by-fishing-trawlers-and-dumped/

Two Blind Cows Saved From Slaughter Find Friendship At Farm Sanctuary

 

farmsanctuary.org
Farm Sanctuary

The gentle moo of a cow named Tricia was one of the first sounds to reach Sweety upon her arrival at our New York Shelter. Unfamiliar places are frightening to blind animals like Sweety, so this simple greeting from another cow must have been a great comfort to her. By the next morning, Sweety had already begun to relax. It was clear that this new place offered only peace, comfort, and kindness.

 

life began at a dairy farm in Canada where she was kept on concrete floors inside a bleak industrial building with no access to the outdoors. Once she was old enough to be impregnated, Sweety entered production. Like all dairy cows, she endured an unrelenting cycle of insemination, pregnancy, and birth. All of her babies were taken from her just moments after they were born. Because they are of no use to the dairy industry, her sons were sold for veal or cheap beef. Her daughters were raised as replacements for the dairy herd, but none were ever allowed to remain with their mother.

In large industrial farms, dairy cows are typically considered “spent” at around four years old and are then sent to slaughter. Sweety was kept in production for eight long years, which is unusual. When she began suffering from a foot infection that rendered her lame and after giving birth to two sets of twins, Sweety’s value to the dairy dropped considerably. The birth of twins is undesirable to the dairy industry because the males are usually small and the females in fraternal pairs are typically sterile.

Emaciated, ailing, and exhausted from years in production, Sweety was soon slated for slaughter. The slaughter line is awful for all animals, but it is especially terrifying for those who are blind. With their other senses heightened, these creatures are overwhelmed by an onslaught of alarming noises and odors: the clanking of metal gates and shackles, the bellows of their herd mates, the smell of blood. Sweety was already bound for the slaughterhouse when the dairy owner relinquished custody of the cow.

Someone at the dairy had recounted Sweety’s story to an acquaintance named Rose who runs a horse rescue organization named Refuge RR. On learning of Sweety’s plight, Rose quickly persuaded the dairy to spare the cow. Unable to keep Sweety, she began seeking permanent placement. When Rose’s search came to our attention, we eagerly offered Sweety a home in hopes that the arrangement would benefit not only Sweety but also one of our other rescued residents named Tricia.

Like Sweety, Tricia is a blind dairy cow. In 2008, we welcomed her to our New York Shelter when she too was being sent to slaughter because the farmer felt it was too difficult to handle her. At that time, we introduced Tricia to Linda, a cow with a hip injury, because both had disabilities that kept them from living with our larger main herd. The two became best friends, forming one of the closest bonds we’ve ever witnessed. After Linda passed away last year from cancer, it was plain to see that Tricia was at a loss without her cherished friend. Companionship is profoundly important to cattle, so it was exciting to think that by giving Sweety a new life, we might also give Tricia another chance to enjoy her own.

Tricia and Sweety nuzzling.

Rose transported Sweety to our shelter with a Farm Sanctuary team following behind to ensure that all went smoothly. The caravan made it to our shelter at night, and Sweety stayed up late to savor a feast of hay before settling into the deep bedding of her pen, a comfort she relished after a lifetime of standing and lying on concrete. From an adjacent pen, Tricia could smell Sweety immediately. Although the two would not meet face to face until the following day, Tricia circled and mooed, clearly eager to get acquainted.

When it was time for the introduction, we led Sweety into Tricia’s stall. Tricia was busy enjoying some hay, and it took her a moment to realize that the newcomer was beside her. As Sweety leaned in for a sniff, however, Tricia perked up and began investigating this intriguing stranger. Within moments, the two cows were gently nuzzling one another and sharing a meal. By evening, they were nestled together for a night of quiet comfort.

In the days to come, Sweety will be examined by our veterinarian to ensure that her eyes aren’t causing her any pain, and she’ll need to be carefully monitored as she puts on some much-needed weight. Because Sweety was kept indoors, she does not have a winter coat so she’ll wear a horse blanket until the warmer days of spring arrive. With Tricia by her side, Sweety has already ventured outside to enjoy the winter sunshine and fresh air. We can already see a beautiful friendship blooming.

https://www.farmsanctuary.org/the-sanctuaries/rescued-animals/2014-rescues/sweety-blind-cow-gets-a-new-life-and-a-new-friend/

 

 

Sign Petition: Trump Wants to Plow Down a Butterfly Sanctuary Crucial to Monarchs for His Border Wall

thepetitionsite.com
by: Care2 Team
recipient: Congress

13,867 SUPPORTERS – 14,000 GOAL

Who’s the latest casualty of Trump’s horrendous war on asylum-seekers at the U.S.-Mexico border? Butterflies.

That’s right, his already stupid border wall idea is now projected to plow down a butterfly sancutary! Please sign this petition to save the butterflies!

Is nothing sacred anymore? The Supreme Court just upheld a ruling saying that Trump can bypass 28 federal laws (including the Endangered Species Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, and the Clean Air Act) for his ridiculous border wall.

The butterfly sanctuary is home to 200 species of butterlies. Plus, the sanctuary serves as a crucial stopping place during migration for the “King of Butterflies,” the Monarch butterfly, which is in so much danger right now thanks to human pollution. The wall would literally require bulldozing most of this land and splitting the rest up, not allowing the sanctuary to grow new plants that are required to save the butterflies. The wall would even be too high for some birds and butterflies to get over, thus cutting them off completely!

As for the human effect in this specific area in Texas, there would be extreme flooding and humans would be cut off from their water supplies.

We are living in a nightmare world and we won’t get to wake up without intense activism.

Please add your voice to this call for some kindness, reason and a check on an administration that is running amuck with anti-science, anti-environment and anti-wildlife policies and rhetoric. Congress doesn’t have to fund the dumb wall — that’s why every American must tell their representative to say no on what could be one of the silliest solutions to a non-existent problem ever to be brought to the floor (and that’s saying something).

Sign this petition to tell Congress that these beautiful and endangered butterflies are just the latest reason NOT to build a dang wall.

https://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/658/587/246/

 

26 Squirrel Monkeys That Were Used For FDA Nicotine Research Finally Find A New Home At Jungle Friends Primate Sanctuary – World Animal News

26 Squirrel Monkeys That Were Used For FDA Nicotine Research Finally Find A New Home At Jungle Friends Primate Sanctuary
By Karen Lane –
December 4, 2018

On the morning of Wednesday, November 14th, Jungle Friends Primate Sanctuary (JFPS) welcomed 26 squirrel monkeys to their 50 acre monkey sanctuary in Gainesville, Florida. These monkeys had formerly been used in a terminated nicotine research study conducted by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). They were transported to JFPS for retirement, where they will live in as natural a habitat as possible for the remainder of their lives.
The $5.5 million study, which began in 2014, was named “Aspects of Nicotine Self-Administration in a Nonhuman Primate”. The research was to determine how different doses of nicotine affect addiction in adolescents.
Taxpayer watchdog group White Coat Waste Project first discovered the FDA’s nicotine addiction tests on monkeys in the Fall of 2016, and uncovered videos and other details about the experiments using the Freedom of Information Act and a related federal lawsuit.
In September 2017, Dr. Jane Goodall joined the campaign and sent a letter to FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb urging him to cancel the study. In late September 2017, the FDA halted the study. Gottlieb then appointed an independent review team to investigate. This team found that the study was not consistent with the agency’s high animal welfare standards. In January 2018, Gottlieb ended it permanently and announced plans to retire the primates to a sanctuary.
JFPS, the largest New World Primate Sanctuary in the United States, was chosen as the most appropriate sanctuary to retire the monkeys. JFPS, founded in 1997, provides permanent, high-quality sanctuary care for New World monkeys being retired from laboratory research, ex-pets, or monkeys who have been confiscated by the authorities.
JFPS is one of the few primate sanctuaries in the nation who has experience in squirrel monkey care. The 26 squirrel monkeys will enjoy their retirement in neo-tropical natural habitats, as close to their natural wild habitat as possible.
Thankfully these squirrel monkeys no longer have to suffer in a laboratory for human research and can finally live their life in peace.

https://worldanimalnews.com/26-squirrel-monkeys-that-were-used-for-fda-nicotine-research-finally-find-a-new-home-at-jungle-friends-primate-sanctuary/

Contact us: contact@worldanimalnews.com
© Copyright 2018 – WorldAnimalNews.com

Sign Petition: Save Mufasa the White Lion

Mufasa is a white lion. There are less than 300 of his kind left in the world, of which only 13 exist in the wild.

Mufasa was confiscated by law enforcement and handed to a wildlife rehabilitation center to be cared for. The rehab centre acquired a second cub Suraya, as a companion for Mufasa. Mufasa and Suraya are now three years old and are inseparable.

Nature conservation officials refused permission for Mufasa to be relocated to a sanctuary, who offered to care for both Mufasa and Suraya for their natural lives, free of charge. Instead, the rehab centre was told telephonically that Mufasa will be auctioned to raise funds for the department.

We ask you to sign our petition, asking for both Mufasa and Suraya to be donated to a sanctuary chosen by the people who took care of them for the past three years, to prevent them from being exploited.

The Honourable Member of the Executive Counsil, Department of Rural Environmental and Agricultural Development, North west South Africa.

RELOCATION OF CONFISCATED LION MALE- MUFASA AND FEMALE SURAYA

We hereby petition you to review the decision of the Northwest Department of Rural, Environment and Agricultural development (READ) to refuse a relocation permit for Mufasa and to grant a permit only for the lioness who has been Mufasa’s companion for almost three years.

In terms of an agreement with READ , the rehab centre who cared for the two lions, and carried the costs thereof up to date, has the right to propose a sanctuary, where the lions are to be cared for. Sanwild has agreed to take the lions and to care for them free of charge, and the rehab put in an official proposal for the two to be released in Sanwild. This proposal was refused

The reasons why we believe the existing decision should be overturned are as follows:

1) Mufasa has had a vasectomy and is no longer able to breed and is therefore of no interest to a breeder. The only commercial value he has, is to be hunted in a put and chase hunt, otherwise known as a canned hunt.

2) Mufasa and Suraya have formed an inseparable bond. If the two are separated, both will suffer trauma and stress.

3) You are no doubt aware of the decision reached at COP 17 of CITES in Johannesburg during 2016 and the amendment noted in Conf 17-8 concerning the Disposal of illegally traded and confiscated specimens of CITES-listed species. We specifically draw your attention to the decision tree analysis for captive options, formulated in Resolution Conf. 17.8 – 14. We will not dwell on the contents, but only wish to highlight the first two requirements

a. As a point of departure the confiscating authority should consider releasing the specimen in the wild.

b. If that is not feasible and there is space available in non-commercial captive facility (e.g. a lifetime-care facility) the confiscating authority should execute an agreement and transfer the animal.

4) Mufasa is a text book case of the above and we believe it will be a transgression of both the spirit and the fabric of CITES to treat him otherwise.

5) There are no other suitable sanctuaries in the North west province that are able to care for both lions and the best practical nvironmental option in the interest of the welfare of the two lions are to be released to Sanwild.

We therefor petition you to intervene and to authorise the relocation permit for both lions to Sanwild.

Yours truly

Friends of Mufasa

https://www.thepetitionsite.com/894/071/669/save-mufasa-the-white-lion/

Petition · End Happy The Elephant’s 10 Years of Solitary Confinement · Change.org

Joann Burrows started this petition to Director of the Bronx Zoo James J. Breheny and 1 other

The Bronx Zoo has been given the shameful title of the 5th worst zoo for elephants in the country. The New York Times calls Happy the Bronx Zoo’s loneliest elephant. That’s because this highly intelligent and social being is one of the only zoo elephants in the entire United States who is being held alone. And it looks like her living conditions won’t change anytime soon unless we do something about it.

I am asking you, my fellow animal lovers, to encourage the Bronx Zoo Director James J. Breheny to release Happy to a sanctuary where she can be in a more natural setting and live the rest of her life in peace.

New standards regarding the keeping of elephants were recently passed by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), the accrediting organization for American wildlife institutions. Among their recommendations was that elephants be held in groups of three or more, as they are highly social creatures. Now, zoos around the country are scrambling to comply with the regulations by AZA’s 2016 deadline. Yet, the Bronx Zoo seems steadfast in its opinion that Happy is “happy” with her solitary life. This goes against all scientific data about elephant behavior.

Happy and 6 other elephant calves were captured in the wild from Thailand and brought to the States in 1977. For 25 years, she and her companion, Grumpy, were kept as a pair in the Bronx Zoo. When Grumpy passed away, she was paired with Sammy, who sadly died in 2006. It was then that the zoo decided to end its elephant program, but it didn’t relocate the elephants it currently had.

For 10 years, Happy has been in a sort of solitary confinement, unable to truly interact with the other elephants held at the zoo. This is a social being like a monkey or a dolphin. Elephants thrive in the company of their own kind, where they form multi-generational family groups that remain loyal to one another for life, and the elders pass wisdom down to the younger ones to help them navigate their world.

Happy is likely not at all happy. She has endured a decade of loneliness and deserves the chance to be with others of her kind in a sanctuary. Please join me in telling the Bronx Zoo to release Happy to a sanctuary and let her really have a chance at happiness.

https://www.change.org/p/end-happy-the-elephant-s-10-years-of-solitary-confinement?source_location=petition_footer&algorithm=promoted&original_footer_petition_id=13640461&grid_position=3&pt=AVBldGl0aW9uAJx7OgAAAAAAW9ThXTdp6jxiN2U5MmQ0Yg%3D%3D

Breaking! 200th Bear Arrives At Animals Asia’s Vietnam Sanctuary After Suffering 17 Years Of Bile Farm Misery – World Animal News

By WAN –
October 26, 2018

Animals Asia’s rescue team arrived at their Vietnam Bear Rescue Center on Tuesday, October 23rd after rescuing another female Asiatic black bear from a bile farm in Vietnam’s Cao Bang province.
The rescue marks Animals Asia’s 200th in Vietnam, with the charity having saved a further 418 bears in China.
As a result of the rescue, the bile farm has been shut down and the owners will never again be able to keep bears.
“Rescuing the 200th bear is certainly a milestone for the team, but most importantly, this is another individual rescued, another farm closed, and another step closer to completely eradicating bear bile farming in Vietnam,” said Animals Asia Vietnam Director Tuan Bendixsen in a statement.
The bear, who does not yet have a name, was originally thought to have been around three years old when registered in 2005. However, her owner claims she bought the bear 17 years ago when she was just a cub weighing an estimated 75 pounds. Moon bears can live to be up to 30 years old.
The rescued bear will now begin a 45-day quarantine period during which she will also receive health care and be introduced to a healthy, species-appropriate diet.
After quarantine, she will be moved to a spacious den where she will begin her rehabilitation process and regain her strength. Eventually, when she is physically and mentally ready, she will be introduced to other bears and given access to an outdoor enclosure.
“We’re delighted that this long-suffering bear is finally safe and we can begin to make her well again,” said Animals Asia’s Vietnam Bear and Vet Team Director, Heidi Quine. “Overcoming such extreme cruelty and isolation is never easy, but each bear reacts differently. So far, she seems calm but there have also been signs of psychological trauma.”
In August of this year, Animals Asia successfully rescued five bears in South Vietnam, while last month, a female moon bear named Sky was rescued from the mountainous Lao Cai province.
Bears on bile farms in Vietnam suffer from poor nutrition, egregious health and living conditions, and no proper veterinary care. As a result, they often display physical and emotional symptoms such as pacing and hitting their bodies against the bars of cages.
Moon bears are listed as vulnerable by the IUCN, and categorized as endangered by CITES. More than 10,000 are held on bear bile farms in China, and around 800 are also trapped in cages as part of the industry in Vietnam.
Animals Asia began to take on the issue of bear bile farming in Vietnam in 1999, opening its Vietnam Bear Rescue Center (VBRC), the first sanctuary devoted to bears in that country, in 2008.
Bear bile farming has been illegal in Vietnam since 2005 when every bear in captivity was micro-chipped. However, without facilities to hold the over 4,000 bears on farms at the time, those holding the bears were permitted to keep them, and the practice persisted.
However, in 2017, the government signed a landmark partnership agreement with Animals Asia to ensure that every farm is closed and the remaining approximately 800 bears are sent to sanctuaries by 2022.
Today, nearly 200 bears live peaceful lives at Animals Asia’s VBRC, while a further 190 are cared for by the nonprofit organization in China.
No-Name is in bad shape. She’s suffered in silence for many years. She will need extensive care and rehabilitation in the coming weeks and months.
To help, please donate to Animals Asia https://worldanimalnews.com/breaking-200th-bear-arrives-at-animals-asias-vietnam-sanctuary-after-suffering-17-years-of-bile-farm-misery/ #EndBearBileFarming

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https://worldanimalnews.com/breaking-200th-bear-arrives-at-animals-asias-vietnam-sanctuary-after-suffering-17-years-of-bile-farm-misery/

 

 

“Hikers Saw That This Neglected Sheep Could Barely Stand, So A Shelter Begged For Experts To Save Him” published October 6 2018

“This Elephant Spent 30 Years Neglected By A Zoo – Until Activists Stepped Up To Set Him Free” Published October 10 2018

Petition- Save Elephants Cora and Tembo From Horrible Topeka Zoo!

thepetitionsite.com

Animal advocates are mourning another tragic loss for captive elephants with the death of Sunda, a 58-year-old Asian elephant who died at the Topeka Zoo this week – but they’re also not giving up on the two surviving elephants there who should be immediately moved to an accredited sanctuary given the zoo’s inability to properly care for them.

Sunda’s passing marks the second elephant death in less than two years at the Topeka Zoo, following the death of Shannon last December. She was only 35-years-old, but the zoo left her unsupervised for at least 10 hours knowing she was chronically ill and needed monitoring, and that inexcusable negligence cost Shannon much unnecessary suffering and, most likely, her life.

Sadly, these heartbreaking deaths are part of much bigger problems at this zoo. In Defense of Animals (IDA) noted that the Topeka Zoo has been cited numerous times by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for violations of the Animal Welfare Act. Not only has the zoo proven it’s unable to properly care for its elephants, many of the health problems they are suffering are likely also made worse by a cold climate in Kansas, which isn’t appropriate for them.

The ongoing mistreatment of its elephants earned the Topeka Zoo the shameful distinction of being named the ‘worst zoo’ last year on IDA’s annual list of the 10 Worst Zoos for Elephants in North America.

While it’s too late to save Shannon and Sunda, there are still two survivors there who need our help – Asian elephants Cora and Tembo.

In the wake of this most recent loss, IDA and their advocates are calling on the Topeka Zoo to do the right thing by closing its elephant exhibit and retiring Cora and Tembo to an accredited sanctuary where they can finally get the care they need – and where they’ll be able to live out their days in a far more appropriate environment in a suitable climate.

Please sign and share this petition urging the Topeka Zoo to act immediately to secure a sanctuary retirement for Cora and Tembo before it’s too late.

https://www.thepetitionsite.com/529/336/449/topeka-zoo-send-your-surviving-elephants-to-a-sanctuary-before-its-too-late/?TAP=1732&utm_source=Green+Monster+Mailing+List&utm_campaign=14f17ead09-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2017_05_07_COPY_03&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_bbf62ddf34-14f17ead09-106049477