Dear Elephants: This year Elephant Spoken Here forgot World Wildlife Day. (Yes, I know, how could we?) But we will never forget you as a species or forget your struggle to survive. Not a day goes by that we are not haunted by your plight (the threat of extinction), devising ways to implore the … Continue reading »
It took an army of rescuers some 70 strong, including “officers from the police and local forestry department”. There were 20 agents from Wildlife SOS (the charity who had legally secured Suraj’s release) as well. The word was out that a backlash from the locals and the mahouts would cause the elephant more suffering (the … Continue reading »
As another year comes to an end an all-encompassing thought comes to mind. It has nothing to do with parties or revelers or celebrations. It has nothing to do with ringing in the New Year at all. But it has everything to do with elephants. What can we do to ensure a future for our … Continue reading »
Name: Mee Chok Name in Thai: Blessed Former Name/Name in Thai: Pheung Yai/Bumble Bee Gender: Male Where Now: Boon Lott’s Elephant Sanctuary Location: near the village of Baan Tuek in Sukhothai, North Thailand Blessed : For more Photos of Mee Chok see them at: Boon Lott’s Elephant Sanctuary : Mee Chok All his little life, after Mee … Continue reading »
They call it phajaan or elephant crushing. It must be done, the humans say. The goal is to break the spirit of the elephant. After all there can only be one boss and it certainly isn’t the elephant. Their wishes or natural inclinations are insignificant. So they take our elephants and put them in a … Continue reading »
Attacked and left for dead, after poachers found his tusks virtually non-existent, little Simotua was sighted by rescuers from The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust hanging to life from injuries to both his head and encircling his right front leg. (He was also found to be malnourished and dehydrated from his inability to walk any great … Continue reading »
In an unprecedented move the Supreme Court in India has called for the “registration of all of the captive elephants in Kerala” and an immediate count of said animals. This action is being taken to “hold people accountable” for any and “all acts of cruelty” these elephants have endured for far too long. … Continue reading »
The Secret Camps At a secluded “training camp” in Karnataka each elephant is forced into a “wooden pen” called a “crushing cage” or “kraal.” Once confined, unable to “move or even lie down” the elephants are kept “isolated, confined, starved, and dehydrated.” They are jarred awake each morning by noise. The evening is more … Continue reading »
The Elephants The following are just a few of the 57 Elephants at the Guruvayur Temple in Kerala, southern India that need our help: Nandan is age 43, a male “tusker” who for 20 years has been shackled in a way as to restrict his ability to lie down or even reach water in a … Continue reading »
The Temple Journalist Liz Jones reporting for the Daily Mail on Sunday along with London barrister, Duncan McNair, who founded Save The Asian Elephants (STAE) have made a desperate appeal to rescue elephants. “We have to release the 57 elephants in that temple, and close down the secretive ‘training’ camps: there are 12 … Continue reading »