Guest guest Posted June 6, 2006 Report Share Posted June 6, 2006 (These articles overlap but each is a little different) Elephant export protested Agence France-Presse From correspondents in Bangkok June 06, 2006 ANIMAL rights activists in Thailand blocked trucks from carrying eight Asian elephants to an airport for a flight to Australia, saying the animals would suffer in Australian zoo enclosures. The elephants were in separate trucks at a quarantine station in the western Thai province of Kanchanaburi, waiting to be driven to Bangkok airport for the flight to Australia. But Soraida Salwala, founder of the Thai group Friends of the Asian Elephant, stepped in front of the lead truck, blocking its way. Ms Soraida was later joined by another activist, and about 20 students had gathered farther out on the road in support of her cause, she said. Ms Soraida and other opponents of the move said they were concerned about the elephants' welfare, claiming the animals - who will be part of a captive breeding program - would suffer in the confines of the zoos and that the program won't help conserve the species. Ms Soraida said she would withdraw if the elephants were put back in their stables and the Thai Government discussed the issue with the activists. " I don't want to see elephants in distress, " she said. " They shouldn't have done this in the first place. " The authorities had planned to fly the elephants to a temporary home in Australia's Cocos islands where they were to be quarantined for three months. http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,19379614-401,00.html?from=rss ........ Protesters delay elephant export Tuesday June 6 By Philippa McDonald in Bangkok Eight Asian elephants have had their departure from Thailand to Australia delayed by protests overnight. A band of protesters gathered outside the special enclosure where the elephants have been held for almost two years. They yelled at the chief executive of Sydney's Taronga Zoo, Guy Cooper, who was there to accompany the eight elephants to Australia. Animal welfare campaigners stood in front of trucks carrying the elephants, delaying their departure on a large Antonov transport plane to the Cocos Islands, where they will spend three months in quarantine. The elephants, which used to work in the logging and tourism industries, have been purchased by Sydney's Taronga and Melbourne zoos. They are between six and 13-years-old and the zoos are hoping they will breed within the next couple of years. But the federal Environment Minister Senator Ian Campbell says the animal welfare activisits are well-intentioned but misinformed. He says the eight elephants will be cared for during the long flight to quarantine and he is certain they will have a good life once they arrive in Australia. " Animals [are transported] in those sort of conditions in very good welfare every day of the year and I think they can rest assured the elephants will be looked after, " Senator Campbell said. " I made a decision that it would be in the best interests of the preservation of the species and in the benefit of the animals to be transported to Australia and it was upheld by an independent court. Senator Campbell says the elephants' natural habitat is under threat and he believes the zoos " hold the potential for the survival of the species " . " Part of the reason I made the decision to allow the animals to come to a captive breeding program in Australia is that I know that the zoos can give them a habitat and protection that is not likely to occur where they are coming from, " he says. Senator Campbell says he is confident the elephants' three-month stay at the Cocos Islands will reduce any stress involved in their transportation. http://au.news./060605/21/z95s.html ........ Elephant protesters 'misinformed' AAP June 06, 2006 THAI protesters delaying the departure of eight Asian elephants to Australia were well intentioned but misinformed, Australian Environment Minister Ian Campbell said today. The elephants, which used to work in the logging and tourism industries, have been bought by Sydney's Taronga and Melbourne zoos. They were expected to fly out of Bangkok airport last night after spending two years at a quarantine station in the western Thai province of Kanchanaburi. But animal welfare campaigners stood in front of trucks carrying them, delaying their departure on a large Antonov transport plane to the Cocos Islands, where they are to spend another three months in quarantine. The protesters claim the animals - who will be part of a captive breeding program - will suffer in the confines of the zoos. Senator Campbell said today the elephants would have a good life in Australia. " I think they can rest assured the animals will be well looked after, " he said on ABC radio. " I made a decision it would be in the best interests of the preservation of the species and the benefit of the animals to be transported to Australia. " I understand the concerns of the animal welfare lobby, but I think they have been addressed not only by me but by the courts. " Senator Campbell acknowledged his decision had been " controversial " but argued " it could well save the species " . " There's significant threat to the survival of the species ... part of the reason why I made the decision to allow these animals to come to a captured breeding program in Australia is that I know that the zoos can give them a habitat and protection. " He said the animal welfare campaigners had " very deep and sincere concerns " . Mark Williams, a spokesman for Sydney's Taronga Zoo, said today details about the new flight schedule were still sketchy. " We have always taken the view that this is a working project, it moves around a lot, " he said. " This was originally scheduled to happen last year. " It is happening, it is just happening slowly and we just have to go with it. " The elephants are officially being sent for conservation reasons as the United Nations Convention on International Trade on Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna bans the international trade of elephants. The transfer was held up for more than a year while animal rights groups in both countries fought to have the plans scrapped. But an Australian court cleared the way for the move to Sydney and the Melbourne Zoo as long as the zoos met certain conditions guaranteeing the elephants' welfare. Taronga Zoo has spent $40 million on a new enclosure, complete with hot and cold bathing areas, an exercise area, waterfalls and ponds and specially designed " sleeping mounds " . Thai animal conservationists have lashed out at the export of the elephants, saying the deal is of little scientific worth and is for pure commercial value, breaching United Nations guidelines. Friends of the Asian Elephant Foundation in Thailand has campaigned vigorously against sending the elephants to Australia and New Zealand. " I've been against Thai elephant exports for the past 14 years. They do not belong in other countries, they belong here in Thailand. It's pure commercial value, " foundation spokeswoman Soraida Salwala said. She said the deal between Australia and Thailand would only further encourage trafficking in elephants and other wildlife. " The authorities encourage this kind of export and they are encouraging all the poachers, all the traders to capture more wild elephants ands more wildlife in order to serve their purpose. " She expressed concern over the elephants wellbeing, having already been held for two years. " They have been suffering a lot these past two years under the quarantine (in Thailand)... , " she said. Ms Soraida also raised concerns that some of the smaller elephants being sent to Australia might have been captured from the wild rather than sourced from elephant sanctuaries. http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,19380178-29277,00.html ........ Elephants 'upset' by Thai protestors Tuesday Jun 6 Animal rights protesters have compromised the safe transport of eight Asian elephants from Thailand to Australia, a spokesman for two Australian zoos says. The elephants, which used to work in the logging and tourism industries in Thailand, have been bought by Sydney's Taronga Zoo and Melbourne Zoo. The head of the consortium of Australian zoos, Guy Cooper, said the relocation had been jeopardised by a protest that delayed the elephants' departure from Bangkok. Mr Cooper said the elephants became restive when protesters shone lights in their eyes and constantly used camera flashes on them. " Our Taronga and Melbourne zoos' staff have been incredibly dedicated in their care for the elephants during the protest, never leaving them and constantly providing reassurance, " Mr Cooper said. The elephants were expected to fly out of Bangkok airport on Monday night after spending two years at a quarantine station in the western Thai province of Kanchanaburi. But animal welfare campaigners stood in front of trucks carrying them, delaying their departure on a large Antonov transport plane to the Cocos Islands where they are due to spend another three months in quarantine. The protesters claim the animals - who will be part of a captive breeding program - will suffer in the confines of the zoos. Protesters were continuing to block the elephants' exit from the quarantine station, which is about two hours drive from Bangkok, Taronga Zoo spokesman Mark Williams said. " They have been blocking the road outside the centre all night and we are waiting for local authorities to come and remove them, " Mr Williams said. Depending on the elephants' welfare, and whether the protesters could be removed, it was hoped the animals can be trucked to Bangkok and flown out of Thailand later in the day, Mr Williams said. Mr Cooper said there was a concern for the elephants while they were packed in their crates on the back of the trucks waiting to leave their home. Vets and handlers were currently assessing their welfare and their condition in the crates, he said. " Foremost in our minds is the animal's welfare, " Mr Cooper told ABC radio. " Our keepers slept with them alongside the crates last night on the trucks .... obviously we also have concerns about the welfare of the people who are demonstrating at the same time. " The elephants had been packed in the well-ventilated crates on Monday, Mr Cooper said. " We loaded the eight elephants into their crates on the back of the trucks, and as you can imagine that required quite a lot of organisation, " he said. " We then moved them down the road to leave the university where they have been kept for something like the last two years. " As we were about to leave the university grounds we were surrounded by a group of around 30 or 40 people, mostly children ... and two women who are very well known for agitating in Thailand wrapped themselves around the bumper of the lead truck. " That was about 3pm (local time) yesterday afternoon. " An Antonov 124 transport plane, with payload capacity of 132 tonnes, is waiting at Bangkok airport to load the elephants, which weigh a combined 40 tonnes. They each eat 175kg of green leafy material a day. The elephants will spend three months in quarantine on the Cocos Islands before arriving in Sydney. http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=105120 ------------------- Friends of the Asian Elephant http://www.elephant.or.th/eng/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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