(IN - JP) Indian elephants en route to Okinawa?

[Guest guest]

*Dear Madam,*

* Thanks for writing. This deal came to light last year

and I reckon I discussed it on AAPN. If you have reservations about this

deal please address your concerns to the following:*

**

*Dr Rahul Kaul : rahul (Wildlife Trust of India)*

**

**

*Member Secretary

**Central Zoo Authority

Annexe-VI, Bikaner House,

Shahjahan Road, New Delhi-110011

 

Phone # 91-011-23381585,23073072,23070375

Fax # 91-011-23386012 *

 

*cza* <cza* NEW!!!

**cza * <cza+>

*Some years ago, an elephant transfer from India to Armenia was cancelled.

CUPA and Born Free Foundation campaigned. It might be worthwhile to approach

them for this case as well. It would help if you could provide more

information on the accommodation planned for the elephants in Okinawa. Do

you have any contact details of Okinawa Zoo ? *

* I am aware of the plight of the particular wolf you mention, if memory

serves me correctly, his name was Kei and I learnt about his plight whilst

writing about the fate of another wolf kept in solitary confinement in

Aurangabad Zoo. Is Kei still alive? *

 

* I appreciate your concern regarding the transfer and hope that you will be

able to communicate your thoughts to the concerned authorities in India and

Japan. Please do keep us informed.*

 

* I wish you well.*

 

* Warm regards,*

 

**

 

* Sincerely yours,*

 

* *

 

 

 

On 4/17/07, OAARS <oaars_cares wrote:

>

> Conditions at the zoo in Okinawa are not good. Alot of money was spent to

> renovate, but those in charge focused on making it nicer for the tourists,

> not the animals. A couple of years ago there was an attempt to relocate a

> wolf to the States, he has lived in captivity all his life and his enclosure

> was very tiny. All atempts failes as the zoo officials refused to allow

> those wanting his freedom to care for him.

>

> Okinawa does not have any NPOs, no Humane societies. Not many can or will

> speak up for the animals. Cats and dogs are gassed daily by the tens, OAARS

> has been able to work with the current Head of the Prefecture Animal Center

> and we are now able to save animals from the gas as space at our shelter

> allows. Unfortunately, our shelter is only a converted greenhouse, we have

> spent thousands of dollars through donations from members and a couple of

> grants.

>

> I think that when the elephant got loose, the Military must've been of

> great help. The size of the base doesn't have anything to do with the

> irresponsible actions of the staff at the zoo. The elephant was lost,

> doesn't matter if it was on base grounds or off.

>

> Liz

> www.oaars.com

>

> * <journalistandanimals >* wrote:

>

> http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20070416TDY19002.htm

> Zoo ready to welcome elephants

>

> The Yomiuri Shimbun

>

> If talks with India prove successful, Okinawa Zoo will put a couple of

> elephant calves on public view in the hope that they will live happily

> there

> for many years to come, and possibly breed.

>

> This will be the third time the zoo, located in Okinawa city, has

> introduced

> an elephant or attempted to do so. An elephant calf it imported in 1973

> escaped and mysteriously vanished and 10 years later the zoo received an

> elephant from another Japanese zoo, but it died in 2001.

>

> Okinawa Zoo has been negotiating with the Indian government for the past

> three years in response to wishes by local residents who hope once again

> that an elephant will take up residence in the prefecture. Even though

> negotiations are still under way, the zoo completed an elephant house and

> enclosure in December.

>

> The zoo opened in 1972, and is currently operated by the Okinawa Kids

> Kingdom Foundation as part of a theme park.

>

> The following year, a 10-month-old male elephant weighing 220 kilograms

> that

> had been shipped from Bangkok escaped from a warehouse at Naha Airport

> before dawn on the day after its arrival.

>

> The elephant apparently broke out of a 1.3-meter-high wooden box, forced

> open the warehouse door and apparently ran onto the U.S. air base adjacent

> to the airport.

>

> Despite a sweeping search by police and Self-Defense Forces and U.S.

> military personnel, who mobilized helicopters and sniffer dogs, the

> elephant

> was never found.

>

> " The air base was so huge, " recalled Isamu Inamine, 63, a former police

> officer who took part in the search. " To me, its overwhelming presence

> symbolized the gravity of the U.S. occupation after World War II. "

>

> In 1983, the Okinawa Zoo received an elephant from a zoo in Aichi

> Prefecture, but it died 18 years later.

>

> The Okinawa city administration plans to offer animals indigenous to Japan

>

> to the Indian government in return for the elephants.

>

> The municipal government spent 160 million yen to construct the

> 950-square-meter elephant house and enclosure. It also has earmarked 30

> million yen for transporting the calves.

>

> Local people feel a special attachment to elephants, according to Akira

> Nakane, 74, a former member of the Okinawa Prefectural Assembly.

>

> " The memory of the elephant that vanished 34 years ago still hurts. If we

> can get the elephant calves from India, we must look after them with

> loving

> care, " said Nakane, who has helped clean the zoo as a volunteer for the

> past

> 30 years.

> (Apr. 16, 2007)

>

>