Fw: TOTO - THE CHIMP WHO'S BECOME A GLOBAL SYMBOL FOR ANIMAL CIRCUS CRUELTY

[Guest guest]

-

" BEKOFF MARC " <Marc.Bekoff

<Undisclosed recipients:>

Tuesday, September 02, 2003 7:28 AM

TOTO - THE CHIMP WHO'S BECOME A GLOBAL SYMBOL FOR ANIMAL CIRCUS

CRUELTY

 

 

> Tony Smith

>

> US contact: ADusoffice

>

> PRESS RELEASE 2 September 2003

>

> THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME FOR TOTO - THE CHIMP WHO'S BECOME A GLOBAL

> SYMBOL FOR ANIMAL CIRCUS CRUELTY

>

> A TALE OF TWO CONTINENTS, SEVEN THOUSAND MILES AND TWENTY YEARS OF EXILE

AND

> ABUSE

>

> Toto the chimp begins an incredible journey to Africa this week, after

> being rescued by Animal Defenders International (ADI) from two decades of

> abuse in a Chilean circus. This epic voyage is the result of a unique

> collaboration between ADI and DHL Express, to fly Toto over 7000 miles to

> his new home. Stolen from the wild as a baby, Toto toured with Circus

> Koenig, where he was forced to smoke cigarettes and drink tea to entertain

> visitors. For more than twenty years, Toto was chained by the neck and

lived

> in a tiny packing crate. He had been castrated, his teeth were pulled out

to

> stop him biting and his gums were severely infected.

>

>

> ADI was first drawn to Toto's plight in November 2002, when Chief

> Executive, Jan Creamer was attending a conference on endangered species in

> Chile. With the support of the Chilean Ministry of Agriculture, ADI was

able

> to secure Toto's release in January 2003. This was accomplished despite

> attempts by the circus to go underground.

>

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> Toto will cross two continents and travel more than 7000 miles on his

> Voyage from his temporary home at Centro de Rescate y Rehabilitiation de

> Primates near Santiago in Chile to his new, permanent home, the Chimfunshi

> Wildlife Orphanage in Zambia.

>

> " For Toto to finally return to live with other chimps in Africa again will

> be a truly amazing achievement, " said ADI Chief Executive Jan Creamer.

> " Travelling thousands of miles seems a very short journey compared with

the

> twenty years of exile and abuse Toto has suffered. It is even more

> remarkable that he has made it through his terrible ordeal with so much

> spirit. "

>

> Since his dramatic rescue in January, Toto has had three dental

operations

> to treat his infected gums. Without surgery, he would have died. Toto has

> been recuperating at the Centro de Rescate y Rehabilitiation de Primates

> where he climbs trees and rope ladders. He enjoys sitting on his garden

> bench, sleeping in a hammock and eating mangos. Toto has a great sense of

> humour and likes to surprise visitors by spraying them with water from a

> hose.

>

> Toto's journey will end when he reaches the Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage

> in Chingola, Zambia. It is the largest chimpanzee sanctuary in the world

> with hundreds of acres of natural African vegetation, and probably the

only

> place where Toto will have the chance of being integrated with a family

> group of his own species.

>

> Toto will fly from Chile to South Africa and then onto Zambia, thanks to

> the generous support of DHL Express, who is funding his travel. " It has

been

> very gratifying to be part of this mission and to make our global

logistics

> network available for Toto's move. It's been a great challenge for us,

> because besides the logistics of flights and stops, we can't forget we are

> moving a live animal, which is an emotionally delicate cargo, " said Philip

> Somervell, DHL Express Chile Country Manager.

>

> Toto's air trip is in accordance with IATA regulations for live animals.

> The journey will pass through Brazil and South Africa before reaching the

> Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage in Zambia. " DHL Express staff will receive

> Toto at each stopover to co-ordinate boarding and paper requirements for

his

> transportation, " said Somervell. " We have all been touched by Toto's story

> and are committed to ensuring a safe and comfortable trip for him. "

>

> The end of Toto's epic voyage will also mark the beginning of a new

> challenge - to integrate the 25-year old chimp into a family group. With

the

> help of experts from Chimfunshi, it is hoped that Toto will be introduced

to

> a group of young chimps and accepted as an uncle or grandfather figure.

>

> " Toto is a symbol for the suffering of all animals in entertainment

> throughout the world, " said ADI chief Executive Jan Creamer. " We hope

that

> his story will inspire people and governments worldwide to take action to

> save other animal victims of abuse. "

>

> ADI is running an international educational campaign across four countries

> to highlight the mistreatment of animals in circuses. Jan Creamer said " If

> people are against animal cruelty in circuses, they should stop taking

their

> children there - for Toto's sake, don't go. "

>

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> ENDS

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> > For further information contact Caroline Chisholm

> >

> > Tel: 020 8563 0250 Press mobile: 07785 552

> 548

> >

> > 00 44 20 8563 0250 00 44 7785

552

> 548

> >

> > Email: pr

> >

> >

> >

> > Notes for editors:

> >

> >

> >

> > The mission of Animal Defenders International (ADI) is to educate,

create

> awareness, and promote the interest of humanity in the cause of justice,

and

> the suppression of all forms of cruelty to animals; wherever possible, to

> alleviate suffering, and to conserve and protect animals and their

> environment.

> >

> >

> >

> > Founded in 1990 in the UK, ADI has now grown into a major international

> campaign group, lobbying governments on issues such as the use of animals

in

> circuses; worldwide traffic in endangered species; vegetarianism; factory

> farming; pollution. An important part of our work is to rescue animals in

> distress around the world, as well as educational work on animals,

> >

> > conservation, and environment.

> >

> >

> >

> > ADI recommendations for greater controls on the cross border movement of

> circus animals were largely adopted at the CITES COP12 in Chile in 2002.

It

> was during the CITES COP12 that ADI filmed and photographed Toto and began

> campaigning to secure his release.

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > The plight of monkeys/apes kept as " pets " . See

> http://www.aesop-project.org/Private_Sector.htm . Visit COALETTE'S

> CONNECTION FOR ACTION on how you can help nonhuman animals today:

> http://www.ccforaction.com.

> >

> >

> >

> >

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