Justice for Zimbabwe Journalist Activists
Show Your Support for Fellow Activist Reporters
The government of Zimbabwe is charging three reporters from the newspaper, The Sunday Mail, with slander for reporting the horrific fatal cyanide poisonings of more than sixty elephants. In their reports, the journalists pointed the finger at a police officer and other officials as the ones responsible for the elephant mass murder.
Zimbabwe police spokesperson Charity Charamba accused the three reporters of "publishing falsehoods." Amnesty International has raised serious human rights concerns, noting that, "Arresting journalists on the basis of 'publishing falsehoods' has a chilling effect that may restrict the ability of the media to expose alleged criminal activities by the authorities."
The Sunday Mail cited unnamed sources as stating the culprits were an assistant police commissioner, park rangers, and foreign nationals from Asia. The journalists were arrested in early November and released on bail.
We cannot let these journalists be prosecuted, while the elephant killers run free! These journalists should be applauded for their investigative reporting instead of being treated as criminals. Click here to read more and take action.
Jeopardizing African Elephants. An elephant is poached every 15 minutes for its ivory tusks, fueling black markets, funding organized criminal networks and pushing this majestic species to the brink of extinction. Nonetheless, the Sportsmen’s Bill blocks efforts by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to crack down on ivory trafficking and the domestic sale of illegal ivory. The bill also amends the ESA to allow sport hunters to continue to bring their elephant trophies into the U.S., even as the dramatic decline in elephant populations could ultimately result in the listing of African elephants as an endangered species. Together, these provisions undercut the recent commitment between the United States and China to halt the illegal ivory trade in both countries, and would make the United States complicit in the African elephant poaching crisis.
Hawaii Revealed as Major Market for Illicit Ivory. An investigation by conservation groups found that the Aloha State boasts the third-largest trade in elephant ivory in the U.S.
An investigation by conservation organizations has found that Hawaii is the third-largest market for illegal ivory in the U.S., behind New York and California.
Over the course of six days, investigators located more than 4,600 items for sale from 47 online retailers. The items carried a combined price tag of $1.2 million. Although some of those goods were things such as carved walrus tusks, the majority were advertised as being elephant ivory. The illegal ivory trade is responsible for the plummet in African elephant populations in recent decades. Between 2010 and 2012, poachers killed 100,000 elephants for their ivory tusks.
Sellers identified during the investigation included retail stores (online and brick-and-mortar shops), as well as art galleries, artist associations, estate liquidators, auction sites, and individuals on Craigslist. Four of the largest retailers each had more than $100,000 worth of ivory in stock. One retailer had $574,000 worth of ivory products for sale.
Most if not all of this activity was likely illegal, according to the investigation. The sale of ivory is highly regulated in the United States. Under regulations passed two years ago, only the sale of antique ivory certified as having been imported prior to 1976 is allowed. The research revealed that just one of the Hawaiian retailers offered the required documentation and suggested that these documents are all too easy to fake.
“The new results were definitely surprising but in retrospect maybe shouldn’t have been,” said Peter LaFontaine, campaigns manager for the International Fund for Animal Welfare, one of the four conservation groups responsible for the probe. “It makes sense that Hawaii would be a big market for these products. Millions of Asian and American tourists visit every year, and it’s a prominent stop for air and sea traffic.”
According to the report, dozens of flights and ships arrive in Hawaii from the Asia Pacific region every day, making it easy to smuggle ivory into the state.
In addition, LaFontaine said that “authorities have only recently begun to crack down on ivory trafficking” and the new federal protections have not necessarily created progress on the state level.
That could change. A bill to ban the trade in products from elephants and a number of other wildlife species is making its way through the Hawaiian legislature. The state Senate passed the bill last month. The state’s Judiciary Committee approved it last week, and it now awaits a House vote.
Although previous bills to ban the sale of ivory in Hawaii have failed, this one appears to have greater support. “We are cautiously optimistic,” said Sara Marinello, executive director for government affairs for the Wildlife Conservation Society, another of the organizations behind the investigation. “Polls show over 80 percent of Hawaii residents support a state ivory ban. However, there is a very small but vocal group of ivory sellers spreading fear and misinformation,” she said. The National Rifle Association, for example, calls the legislation an attempt to take away people’s antique firearms.
LaFontaine said the new report may facilitate the passing of the bill. “We have been sharing the results with lawmakers and state agencies to help them understand the scope of ivory trade in Hawaii,” he said. “Fortunately, it’s helped to build the case that these bills are more than just symbolic, that they will address a very real problem in the state and ultimately help to reduce the amount of ivory trafficking there.”
New York and California have banned ivory sales. While it’s too early to say how effective those regulations have been, Marinello said that “the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has seen anecdotal evidence of less ivory in the marketplace.” She added that some stores still appear to be selling illegal ivory, but the new ban will help in prosecutions.
LaFontaine said the bills are important because federal law has little control over ivory sales that do not cross state borders. “Ultimately, we need states to take action to close the big loophole that is intrastate trade,” he said.
Stop the torture and exploitation of Rama, India's most famous show elephant
By: Rita Claessens Elephant Freedom Fighters - Click To Help!
TARGET: Forest Department Kerala Prime Minister of India
Thank you for signing the petition for Rama, the elephant who is exploited and being beaten! Almost 120 000 people all over the world have signed to ask for medical care and for retirement to a sanctuary! This petition will now be send to:
Forest Department Kerala Prime Minister of India(Chairman of National Board for Wildlife,New Delhi) Chief Wildlife Warden,Kerala Secretary,Animal Welfare Board of India District Collector,Thrissur
Rama (Thechikkotkavu Ramachandran) is a famous elephant in Asia - but he's being beaten and treated cruelly by the people who are profiting from his performances.
Rama is the star elephant of elephant festivals in South India, and gets the highest money reward in festivals in Kerala. When Rama refused to lift his head in an illegal elephant head-lifting competition, he was beaten cruelly.
In head-lifting competitions, owners force elephants to hold their heads and trunks up in the "salute" posture typically seen in the circus. The winning elephant is the one that keeps his head up the longest - but it's a position that is painful and uncomfortable for elephants, putting straing on the neck and trunk and impairing their ability to breathe.
The police took the mahout to the police station but he was released instead of being penalized for beating this poor animal. A few days later when the elephant was taking part in a festival the mahout began to beat him again.
Rama has been partially blinded by his handlers to control him. He's so thin that his spine shows through his skin. This iconic elephant needs proper medical care and food!
Sign this petition to demand the arrest of Rama's handler for animal abuse, and ask for Rama to be sent to a sanctuary where he can receive proper medical care!
Why does this elephant have to suffer?
In the parking lot of Cora Pantelimon in Bucharest you'll find this poor elephant, who is kept in a tiny cage for 23 hours of the day. He stands there as entertainment for kids, set up by Cora Romania, a retailer in Bucharest. You can easily see that both eyes of this lonely animal are affected. This is meant to be entertaining? FOUR PAWS is shocked and has already sent an official letter to Cora Romania asking them to immediately stop hosting travelling circuses with wild animals. Please help us and write an email to info@cora.ro. Thank you! #EmptyTheCages
Stop the illegal use of elephants for logging in India.
By: Christina Downing - Click To Help!
TARGET: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, and Central Minister of Fores
In October, 18 to 20 captive elephants, many of them from temples, were illegally transported from the state of Kerala, to the state of Karnataka, for use in the brutal logging industry. This, despite a 1994 Supreme Court Ruling, prohibiting the use of elephants for logging operations in India. The Forest Department also adopted the 2008 Central Guidelines, from the Center on Management and Care for Captive Elephants. All of these have been ignored. Many of the elephants do not have the proper permits, like transport permit, health certificate, or certificate from the Chief Wildlife Warden. In fact, there was no permission from offices of the Chief Wildlife Wardens of both states, a clear violation of the provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972. It is shocking that there is absolutely no monitoring by the Forest Department.
Hauling logs in the jungle is physically hard work, especially since the sought-after hardwood species tend to be very heavy. Logging sometimes involves accidents to elephants, resulting in injuries such as broken bones. This is especially problematic in criminal operations, as illegal loggers are very unlikely to seek veterinary help.
The 1994 Supreme Court ruling must be upheld, and the elephants must immediately be removed from working in this illegal trade. Furthermore, the Forest Department must adhere to the guidelines given for the care and mangement of captive elephants, along with complying with the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972.
Mozambique - Stop the Terrorist-Funding Elephant Massacre
By: Christopher Burley
TARGET: Beatriz Buchili, Attorney General, Mozambique
In the last five years, nearly half the elephants in Mozambique have disappeared — killed by criminal gangs intent on selling the tusks of these sensitive and intelligent pachyderms in Asian markets.
Since 2010, the country's elephant population dropped from more than 20,000 to roughly 10,300. But there is also a human cost to the poacher's massacre of elephants, according to Elephant Action League Founder Andrea Crosta:
"Like diamonds, gold, coltan or timber; ivory is taking its own place as a conflict resource in sub-Saharan Africa."
In fact, a 2012 study found that notorious terrorist group al-Shabab drew 40 percent of its salary funds from illegal ivory smuggling. More than 147 people at a Kenyan university were killed in an April 2015 Al-Shabaab attack.
This year, Mozambique has cracked down on illegal ivory trafficking, but with the lives of so many — elephants and people — on the line, a more robust response is desperately needed.
Please this urgent petition right now and urge Mozambique's attorney general to step up efforts to find and stop the elephant-killing poachers who are fueling global terror.
Take Action to Help America's Loneliest Elephants
Elephants are highly social animals who form strong, lasting bonds with their families. They work together to solve problems and rely on the wisdom, judgment, and experience of their eldest relatives. In the wild, the elephants featured on this page would have spent their entire lives with their families. Captive elephants forced into isolation often exhibit abnormal and potentially self-destructive behavior. The elephants below are held in isolation by zoos and circuses without other members of their species.
Isolation is devastating for these complex animals. Elephants belong with their families in the wild. Please, don’t support zoos or animal circuses.
Lucky: Alone Since 2013
Lucky is lonely and appears to be severely depressed at the San Antonio Zoo, where she is frequently observed swaying and rocking—abnormal behaviors that are never seen in the wild. World-renowned elephant expert Dr. Joyce Poole wrote the following about Lucky:
“The swaying of confined elephants like Lucky … is extremely disturbing because it is so symptomatic of a life of social and physical deprivation. With nowhere to go and no one to see, no new smells to investigate and nothing to strive for, elephants become bored and frustrated. The result? They stand in one place, rocking back and forth, slowly losing their minds.”
Lucky must be retired to an accredited sanctuary where she’ll have the opportunity to live in the company of other elephants and have the space and enrichment that she needs and deserves.
You, too, can demand Lucky be sent to a sanctuary below.
Shirley: Alone Since 2011
Shirley is a 71-year-old elephant who was forced to perform in several circuses before reaching Wild Adventures Theme Park in Valdosta, Georgia. There, she’s confined—without any other elephants—for tourists to gawk at while on a “safari tour” of the facility.
Happy: Alone Since 2006
Happy was taken from her wild family in the 1970s and arrived at the Bronx Zoo in 1977. She was allowed to have a couple of companions until those elephants succumbed to injury and illness, leaving Happy—who is anything but happy—all alone.
Despite plans to phase out its elephant program, the Bronx Zoo refuses to send Happy to a sanctuary. Below, you can ask zoo officials to do the right thing.
Asha: Alone Since Approximately 2005
The Natural Bridge Zoo in Virginia holds Asha in deplorable conditions and has denied her the companionship of other elephants for years, which is devastating for such a highly social animal.
During the long, cold winters, she is exposed to frigid temperatures, snow, and ice, and she is routinely confined to a barn that has damp concrete flooring—conditions that are harmful to her welfare and can lead to debilitating arthritis and deadly foot problems. In the summer months, she is forced to give rides for hours in the sweltering heat and humidity while at the mercy of her handler. In 2013, a Virginia state trooper reported witnessing a handler at Natural Bridge jab a bullhook into Asha’s mouth eight times while yelling obscenities at her. Bullhooks are sharp weapons resembling fireplace pokers that are used to beat elephants and force them to perform.
Video footage from January 2015 shows Asha standing alone in a snow-covered paddock as she rocks back and forth, displaying what Natural Bridge owner Karl Mogensen admitted was stereotypic behavior—an indication of her profound deprivation. The facility is currently under investigation by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). It has already had its license suspended twice and has been ordered to pay more than $22,000 in penalties over the years.
Asha has endured a life of loneliness and deprivation. Below, you can speak up for her to help ensure that she spends the remainder of her days at an accredited sanctuary, where she will have the space, companionship, and care that she deserves.
Laura: Alone Since 2003
Laura is 33 years old. According to a 2009 Grand Rapids Press article, she appeared at fairs, festivals, parties, and school events, where she was forced to give rides. She was imported into the U.S. in 1984 on the same shipment as another solitary elephant named Nosey. Laura was kept with a bull elephant named Buster for some years in an attempt to breed her, but he died several years ago, leaving her without any elephant company.
She is presently held at Ivory Haven Farms in Fremont, Michigan.
Below, you can urge Ivory Haven Farms to release Laura to an accredited sanctuary.
Fritha: Alone Since 2000
The Dawn Animal Agency has kept Fritha alone for years without elephant companionship. She was wild-caught and taken from her home in Vietnam. The agency provides animals for movies, commercials, and talk shows.
Animals are not ours to use for entertainment. Below, demand that Fritha be sent to a sanctuary.
Nosey: Alone Since At Least 1997
More than 30 years ago, 62 wild baby elephants watched in horror as the government of Zimbabwe violently slaughtered their mothers, aunts, sisters, and cousins to make room for human development. The orphaned babies were rounded up, shipped to the U.S., and sold to circuses and zoos.
Nosey is the last of these orphaned elephants still being carted around the country and forced to perform at seedy flea markets and fairs. Records show that she may have had the company of another elephant for a little while in the 1990s, but she has spent most of her life totally alone.
Nosey’s exhibitor, Hugo Liebel, has an extensive history of animal-welfare violations. In 2013, he was ordered to pay a $7,500 penalty after the USDA sued him for denying Nosey necessary veterinary care and repeatedly chaining her so tightly that she could barely move—among numerous other violations.
Constant chaining and the rigors of performing are known to result in arthritis in captive elephants, and these grueling conditions have taken their toll on Nosey.
Often made to stand in mud and waste, she is now showing signs of chronic pain. A veterinary expert has warned that she is likely suffering from arthritis, a medical condition that’s agonizing for captive elephants—and can also be a death sentence for them.
Liebel’s treatment of Nosey is cruel—and it’s also dangerous. She has already attacked at least one person, who was sent to the hospital, and the USDA has cited Liebel again and again for endangering the public, yet his handling practices haven’t changed. He continues to use a bullhook—a sharp weapon that’s known to trigger aggression in elephants—to jab and strike Nosey in an attempt to control her.
Nosey’s misery and pain are obvious and well documented, yet the USDA still hasn’t confiscated her. Any elephant who’s forced into captivity and used for entertainment has a sad story, but Nosey’s might be one of the saddest.
Take action below to help Nosey.
Anna Louise: Alone Since 1988
Anna Louise is a 34-year-old African elephant exhibited by Tom Demry and currently under contract with the Kelly Miller Circus. She was wild-caught from Zimbabwe and shuffled around from zoo to zoo until Demry acquired her in 1988. She has been alone ever since and is forced to “dance” and carry a tambourine with her trunk.
You can take action for Anna Louise via the form at the bottom of this page.
Bubbles: Alone Since 1984
Bubbles was captured in the wild in Africa and imported by an exotic-animal dealer who sold her to the notorious “Doc” Antle, the founder of a roadside zoo in South Carolina called T.I.G.E.R.S. She’s exploited for TV spots and viral videos, and she has had no elephant contact since arriving at Antle’s facility.
Bubbles and all the elephants on this page need your support. Help us by calling for their release below.
HELP GET ELEPHANTS TO REPUTABLE SANCTUARIES.
Speak up for the elephants on this page by urging the facilities confining them to relinquish them to reputable sanctuaries immediately!
Enter your name and e-mail address, and simply click “Take Action.”
There are multiple opportunities to help. The second you take action for Nosey, the opportunity to help Asha will automatically appear, followed by the remaining elephants listed above. You can speak up for all of them!
Just keep clicking and make your voice heard! Then share this page with all your friends and family—let them know that these elephants need their help. Want to do more? Read Annette’s story and find out how you can help her.
Don’t Use Baby Elephant as “Gift”.
Don’t Use Baby Elephant as “Gift”.
Target: Sri Lanka President Maithripala Sirisena
Goal: Find a more appropriate gift than a live baby elephant for New Zealand’s prime minister.
To solidify strengthening relations between New Zealand and Sri Lanka, a baby elephant by the name of Nandi is being gifted to Prime Minister John Key. However, New Zealand animal rights organization SAFE is “deadly opposed” to bringing another elephant into the country, their first of many reasons being that transporting and caring for an elephant in captivity is extravagantly more expensive than maintaining them in the wild. It is also shown through studies that elephants do very badly in captivity. However, the most important reason is that female elephants often never leave their mothers or mother figures. Even though Nandi was orphaned, she will be brutally ripped away from her family and sold to solidify foreign relations.
Just a short time ago, the world was applauding Sri Lanka for banning ivory and destroying confiscated ivory they had in storage. One would think, with this apparent show of support for the protection of elephants, that they would be more wary of shipping off their own. Even just one elephant, even an elephant from a so-called orphanage. Nandi is being taken from her home and shipped thousands of miles to a foreign land with foreign people and foreign environment to live in a cage as entertainment.
Elephants are living creatures, they are sentient, and they deserve better than being reduced to bargaining chips between politicians. Nandi is also not the first elephant to be sent to New Zealand from Sri Lanka, as another was sold to them last year.
Sign and urge President Sirisena to work with Prime Minister Key to find another token of strengthening diplomatic relations. Surely there are better things besides displaced animals that would suffice as a token of goodwill. Urge them not to force suffering on Nandi for political and monetary gain.
Dear President Sirisena,
After a visit from Prime Minister John Key of New Zealand, news came to light that Sri Lanka planned to gift a five-year-old elephant as a symbol of good will. While it is great to see countries coming together and strengthening positive political relations, those relations should not be solidified with the “gift” of another’s life. When Sri Lanka destroyed their stock pile of ivory and banned trade of the product, there was hope that support would be thrown behind preserving elephants. However, with the news of Nandi’s impending deportation to New Zealand that hope has dwindled.
So few elephants remain, and so many studies show how terribly they do in captivity, that it’s heart breaking to watch another one sentenced to this misery. She will be caged in a foreign land and foreign environment with capricious visitors gawking at her like a commodity. Not to mention the exorbitant price of shipping an elephant to New Zealand and then caring for her.
It is shown that elephants suffer when torn from their family groups, especially female elephants. Nandi has already suffered the misfortune of being an orphan, do not add onto her suffering by treating her as an object to be thrown to the wind for political relations. Seek out an alternative method of symbolizing this goodwill, something that does not involve treating another’s life so flippantly. Stand behind preserving elephants in the wild, rather than supporting the rampant abuse exorcised by zoos in obtaining wild animals to imprison for entertainment.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: NZ Herald
