When you think of her beginnings as part of a group of 63 orphaned African elephants (a cull was ordered by the government of Zimbabwe) who were “rescued” by “eccentric millionaire Arthur Jones ” it seems fitting that Mundi should be flying on a transport plane once again.

Only this time her “rescue” will be real, unlike the transport plane that brought this baby elephant to America in 1984 only to have her life stolen away.  (Nosey the elephant, who is still waiting to be rescued, was another little elephant on that Jumbolair flight) And though thirty three years have passed, this female African elephant has spent the last 29 years of her life as the solitary elephant at the Dr. Juan A. Rivero Zoo, Mundi  has an ***opportunity to live as an elephant again.

 

 

***Following Hurricane Maria, which hit Puerto Rico on 20 September 2017, Puerto Rican “government officials,”  in talks with Elephant Aid International founder Carol Buckley, came to a decision to “retire the elephant” Mundi to Elephant Refuge North America in Attapulgus, Georgia. This after the Dr. Juan A. Rivero Zoo in Mayagüez  had been exposed for their inability to care for their animals subsequent to numerous infractions that had been identified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Puerto Rico’s  “economic crisis”   is said to be the blame.

 

What You Can Do to Help Mundi

Now Mundi’s journey from Puerto Rico to Georgia will not be an easy one. First there is the necessary funding. Carol Buckley has a conservative estimate of $300,000 dollars.

See Mundi’s Move campaign here.

The logistics of the “move will be complicated by the fact” of Puerto Rico’s damaged infrastructure not to mention the difficulty of “securing equipment”  and acquiring the necessary manpower for such an endeavor as transporting an elephant.

 

 

And speaking of transporting an elephant, a special elephant sized crate will need to be custom built. Elephant movers Stephen Fritz Enterprises Inc. will work their magic as they have with just about “100 elephants” so far.

Let’s make that 101 elephants when we support “Mundi’s Move”  to an elephant sanctuary where, as Carol Buckley put it, Mundi can rediscover her “elephantness” again.

For there is no place like home to an elephant than one where she can, “for the first time since she was a baby“, rediscover a forest, playfully explore lakes, “nap peacefully in a pasture” and best of all, do whatever she wants whenever she wants. And next to her home in the wilds of Africa, there is no beating that.

Help Mundi the elephant with your cash donations  to Mundi’s Move Campaign  at Elephant Aid International  A Carol Buckley Project.

Mundi the elephant thanks you.

 

Images:  CC Flickr: Mundi the zoo elephant in Puerto Rico by damian entwistle

 

Resources:

Elephant Refuge North America Facebook

Elephant Aid International, A Carol Buckley Project

Elephant Aid International Campaign “Mundi’s Move”  (Information about donating to help Mundi the elephant and updates, too!)

USA Today article African elephant from struggling Puerto Rico zoo may be first at Georgia sanctuary  

Elephant movers  Stephen Fritz Enterprises Inc.

 

Videos:

Jumbolair 20/20 Episode Part 1 YouTube video

Jumbolair 20/20 Episode Part 2 Tube video

Help Us Bring Mundi to Elephant Refuge North America video on Elephant Aid International YouTube Channel

Mundi the elephant  on Elephant Aid International YouTube Channel

 

 

P.S. About the Category AbZOOlutely Not** or The Controversy of Zoos & Others Keeping Elephants in Captivity (**A disclaimer about this category …elephants in captivity). While there are some Zoos & others that demonstrate exemplary methods of elephant care, unfortunately, they do not represent the “lion’s share”. ) And this category does not include the elephant sanctuary, true/reputable elephant sanctuaries, of course.