The sign placed inside the arena states “…Welcome to the Phuket Zoo Elephant Show”… The overzealous crowds have gathered on this day to watch an unnatural and cruel phenomenon, that of elephants being forced to perform elephant tricks in an outmoded, and should be outlawed, elephant show. Into the arena pedals Dumbo struggling to … Continue reading »
Coerced by a human trainer perched upon their backs (& adamantly “tugging on their ears“) female Asian elephants at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chon Buri, Thailand are forced to perform in swimming tanks. With the crowds cheering them on the elephants dive, completely submerging themselves underwater. Upon surfacing the elephants bob their heads … Continue reading »
Unlike another Laxmi the elephant who was rescued by Wildlife SOS India in 2013, whose story had a happy ending, this Laxmi the elephant, also a “begging elephant” held captive at the hands of cruel owners, (an “illegally held” elephant at that) has died. This petition, to bring attention to rampant elephant abuse & to … Continue reading »
Elephant Spoken Here became the 2657th supporter, as an Elephant Friend, to sign The Elephant Charter today. (There are also “signatories” for Elephant Biologists and Elephant Professionals which track their own number of supporters separately.) As a reader of our elephant blog we would like to encourage you to show your support and love for elephants … Continue reading »
Never mind that the Melha Shrine Circus made a promise to permanently end the archaic practice of including performing wild animals, (oxymoron, much?) especially elephants, in their Big Top acts. Never mind that an unknowing (to the training methods performing elephants must endure, with baby elephants being the most traumatized) but cash-generating, public fails to attend an elephant-less circus … Continue reading »
As all elephant lovers were saddened by the death of Hanako, who was transported to the only home she would know, the Inokashira Park Zoo, as a baby elephant (aged 2), they are also feeling relieved that this elderly pachyderm (“the oldest living elephant in Japan“) no longer has to endure such a solitary and constrained … Continue reading »
It’s the only life she has ever known and it looks to be the only life she will ever have. The consolation is that Hanako, “the oldest Asian elephant in Japan” who has recently become the center of attention in a world-wide plea for her release from the Inokashira Park Zoo near Tokyo, will … Continue reading »