27 May to 2 June 2012

[Space4Eles]

CIRCUS:
Ringling Gold was in Odessa TX, where Asian elephant Duchess (41) made “foot paintings” as part of an event for disadvantaged children.
Ringling Gold moved on to Albuquerque NM, with Duchess, Carol and Patty, and a video showed 2 of the elephants swaying and head-bobbing.
The 61-car Ringling Blue train made a stopover in Peru IN, where the elephants were fed, hosed down in the heat, and the train’s water supplies replenished. Under the cover of darkness, the circus paraded the elephants through downtown Tulsa OK.
Ringling Red began its Mexico tour on 23 May, and hundreds of aras took to the streets of Mexico City to protest.

Cole Bros was performing in Kingston NY, and was confronted by protesters. Local vet Dr. Eileen Jefferson voiced her concern for the welfare of the animals, and asked families to consider whether or not they should support the shows.
Carson & Barnes [John Walker] offering elephant rides (Viola) in Sterling CO.

In Canada, Bowmanville Zoo’s Limba (48), on loan for touring with Circus Mondo, performed a “handstand” for an audience at Smiths Falls, Ontario.

Courtney Bros Circus, using 5 Croatia-based Gartner elephants in a flagrantly abusive exhibition, continued its tour of Ireland.

In Gothenburg Sweden, 3 unidentified elephants from travelling Circus Scott [Hardy Weisheit] escaped into a nearby park. They were later captured, and the event is being viewed as a publicity stunt.


ZOO:
North Carolina Zoo reported that cataract surgery on the right eye of bull C’sar (38) was successful.
Oakland Zoo CA “celebrated” the 18th birthday of African bull Osh.
Toledo Zoo “celebrated” African calf Lucas’ first birthday.
Denver Zoo CO opened their $50 million “Toyota Elephant Passage” exhibit – to avoid over-congestion, visitors have to book a “timed entry” slot before they can go into the exhibit.
Hogle Zoo, Salt Lake City UT, has announced that African female Christie (26) has been subjected to AI by a German team [Thomas Hildebrandt et al]. The result will be known in about 5 months time, with the possibility that Christie could be carrying twins.
Following an ultrasound scan, Rio Grande Zoo at Albuquerque NM has reported that Asian Rozie (20) is 5.5 months into her second pregnancy. Reproductive assessments were carried out on the other two female elephants - Alice (38) and Irene (45).

IDA renewed their campaign to release Topeka Zoo elephants Sunda (50) and Tembo (41) to a true sanctuary.

Pat Derby has said she will not welcome a second inspection visit from Toronto Zoo elephant keepers to discuss the impending move of Toka, Thika and Iringa to PAWS.

At Dublin Zoo Eire, the new bull house will be ready in around 3 weeks, when the inside work should be is completed.
A female calf was born at Berlin Zoo to Burmese elephants Kewa (29) and bull Ankhor (29).

Surat Zoo in India is hoping to obtain “surplus” animals, including elephants, following “discussion with delegates of Zambia, Botswana and Tanzania.”

There are fears that, unless Franklin Zoo NZ can raise $1.5 million to crate-train Mila so she can be transported to PAWS as her late owner intended, the lone African elephant “will have to be put down”.


WORLD – ASIA:
Borneo: Thanks to a donation from 4 companies and a Japan-based NGO, Lok Kawi WP has upgraded the security fencing for its rescued calves (currently 5: Huminodun, Sumandak, Amoi, Ganesh and Ruandu).

Sumatra, Indonesia: Another 3, possibly 4, elephants have been found poisoned in a palm oil plantation, bringing the total to at least 5 since April.

Malaysia: A 5-year research project has begun to fit 50 wild elephants with GPS-satellite tracking devices to monitor their response to the changes (eg. highway viaducts, corridors) in their habitat, and how they react to translocation.

India: The film “Thiruvambadi Thampan”, which was scheduled to open in April, is still delayed as Indian elephant-welfare activists have lodged a 2-part complaint with the Animal Welfare Board - that the necessary permit to shoot with elephants was not in place, and that the film glorifies the Sonepur cattle fair (a centre of illegal elephant trafficking).
* The signal from a tracking collar fitted to a female elephant (20) 3 months ago has failed, and efforts are being made to locate the elephant and retrieve the equipment.
* 23 elephants have died this year in the Nagarahole Tiger Reserve in Karnataka owing to drought.
* After a gap of 5 years, a 3-day elephant census took place in Jharkhand and 3 other northern provinces.
* The Kerala high court is asking, in the light of recent deaths, whether the use of elephants for temple festivals is necessary.


WORLD – AFRICA:
Zimbabwe: A poacher was killed and 2 others injured in 2 separate incidents, during which 50 elephant tusks were seized.
Uganda: Wildlife officials rescued an underweight, lone bull in Bundibugyo. He has been named Keith Semuliki, and is estimated to be 3 months old. When found, he was dehydrated and with a deep cut near his eye, but he is reported to be recovering.
Kenya: DSWT reported the death by poisoned arrow of a magnificent tusker in Tsavo East NP.


GENERAL:
The team at Elephant Haven (Tony, Sofie, Barry and Leonie) visited London to give a presentation about this enterprising venture, and leading animal welfare organizations attended.
Team Bona [Amanda French, Murray Munro, Bruce Levick] are back in Australia from Sumatra, and working on a documentary about palm oil-orphan Bona.
In Thailand, Mae Kam/Kaam (45-50) has been retired from trekking by BEES, has arrived safely at the sanctuary, and her ankle chain is about to be removed.
WFFT [Edwin Wiek] reported that elderly Pai Lin has responded well to “revised intensive medical treatment of a corneal ulcer”; she is improving fast, and surgery will not be needed for now.
EARS reported that Sombo's specially-designed pool should soon be finished – a sloping ramp would be difficult for her to use owing to the pressure it would put on her painful front feet, so steps are being added.
Carol Buckley in Nepal thanked donors for their response to the appeal for Sweetie Kali's enclosure, which is complete; the training wall will be built at a later date when Carol returns to Nepal. Funds were raised in under 24 hours for the digging of a pool for the calves at the breeding centre, and then for a water trough for Sweetie Kali.


QUOTES OF THE WEEK:
“I think what surprises me the most from this whole experience is how different things would be if Bona was in Australia. When a baby elephant is born here in a zoo, there is a media frenzy. Morning shows run naming competitions, people flock to zoos armed with video cameras and donations are made left, right and centre. Yet here is Bona, all alone in Sumatra, across the river from a village of children who often don’t look twice across at her. I feel so sad thinking about this but so determined to get Bona the attention she deserves. I feel incredibly thankful that her story landed in our laps because we can and will help her now.” Amanda Riley of Team Bona on returning to Australia.

“They will learn that I am the mahout only if I hurt them,” one handler said at a small temple festival in Tiruvalla last year. “All elephants have to be kept in chains.” From the Indian article “Elephant Rights Movement Clashes With Tradition in Kerala”

This kind of animal abuse is still being passed off as family entertainment. Comment posted below prior notice of arrival of Cole Bros Circus.

"If we lose the elephants we lose a unique element of tropical ecosystems. When elephants walk they trample the soil and impact the forest in a way that no other animal does. When elephants eat, they modify the structure of vegetation, releasing plant parts that can be consumed by other herbivores. When elephants eat fruits, they disperse seeds. Ultimately, elephants create habitat heterogeneity and promote forest regeneration. All this will be lost and we will have a much more simplified ecosystem that is less resilient and has lost a lot of its diversity." Dr. Campos-Arceiz re a new project to fit GPS-satellite tracking devices to 50 wild elephants in Malaysia.

Only thing I will say to this, I hate seeing elephants in captivity!...they always look so sad! I think we are doing elephants a disservice and treating them inhumanely to put them in Zoos! Comment posted by Keith Walsh on the opening of Denver Zoo’s Toyota Elephant Passage.

[spiritedlulu]

Excellent summary! Thanks for postinf s4e ...