Belinda Wright reacts to 'Elephant polo'

[Guest guest]

Sun, 08 Oct 2006

cjt, MacShand

Belinda Wright <bwright

Elephant Polo in Jaipur

 

Dear Mark and Chris,

 

Is 'Elephant Family' and 'Help in Suffering' really supporting an

elephant polo tournament in Jaipur ?!

 

http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=142773

Mark of an elephant man

 

I fail to see how elephant polo will " give dignity back to the

elephant " ... if anything, it does quite the opposite; the huge

roaring crowds merely perceive the elephants as amusing and

controllable, and it certainly doesn't appear to be in line with one

of the '5 freedoms' [listed in the " Jaipur: project overview " on the

Elephant Family's web site] of - freedom from fear and distress.

There have also been many such elephant polo events and I know of no

incident where " high profile " members of the audience have

later " put pressure on governments " .

 

You know that I greatly admire all your efforts to help the poor

elephants of Amber, but the big picture is to save elephants in the

wild, and to provide dignity and care to those in captivity. Let's

not stray from that goal and make fools out of these would-be wild

animals.

 

With warm regards, Belinda

 

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Belinda Wright, OBE

Executive Director, Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI)

S-25 Panchsheel Park, New Delhi 110017, India

Tel: (Int+ 91.11) 4163.5920 & 4163.5921

Fax: (Int+ 91.11) 4163.5924

E-mail: wpsi

Website: www.wpsi-india.org

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