The
People's Coalition For Justice
&
Humanity
***
Elephants At Philadelphia Zoo
Under Siege
By Carol Williams
Who
hasn't visited a zoo at one time or another in their lives? Many of us
take our children there to gape at the animals under siege . The guise
is that we are educating, cultivating their interest in and caring for,
these creatures as a species of life on our planet that will soon be
extinct from the earth. A far better solution would be to join in the
fight to preserve what is left of our forests, jungles and wild
environments and work to restore what we have lost. Somewhere in
between those two schools of thought lay creating humane environments
for these creatures within the concrete jungles that men call cities.
We hunt them, eat them, we use them for our clothing. Some people even make furniture out of the carcasses of animals. All this is with in the range of what is considered civil, normal human activity. But, when we realize that a creature has the intelligence of some of our human counterparts, most people develop a certain kind of respect for them. A lot of people also expect a certain kind of treatment for these creatures as long as they are under our care. Thus, you have very successful movements such as humane societies (that more often than not, are simply death camps for animals).
"Dumb-o" they are not. Like dolphins and whales, elephants are extremely intelligent creatures. They display this through their ability to communicate artistic expression, like Ramona who lives at the Elephant Safari Park refuge in Bali. The product of Karish (an entertainment elephant who gave rides and performed at a circus) and a wild bull from the bush, Ramona is eleven years old and is described by her caregivers as a smart, gentle and friendly creature.
Ramona doing her thing. She thoughtfully selects the colors and strokes of her artwork.
We hunt them, eat them, we use them for our clothing. Some people even make furniture out of the carcasses of animals. All this is with in the range of what is considered civil, normal human activity. But, when we realize that a creature has the intelligence of some of our human counterparts, most people develop a certain kind of respect for them. A lot of people also expect a certain kind of treatment for these creatures as long as they are under our care. Thus, you have very successful movements such as humane societies (that more often than not, are simply death camps for animals).
"Dumb-o" they are not. Like dolphins and whales, elephants are extremely intelligent creatures. They display this through their ability to communicate artistic expression, like Ramona who lives at the Elephant Safari Park refuge in Bali. The product of Karish (an entertainment elephant who gave rides and performed at a circus) and a wild bull from the bush, Ramona is eleven years old and is described by her caregivers as a smart, gentle and friendly creature.
Ramona doing her thing. She thoughtfully selects the colors and strokes of her artwork.
Artistic expression is not the only way that elephants exhibit
intelligence. Elephants have socially organized family units as well as
larger societal reference groups. Their understanding of their grief
and emotion around death has to be considered as well. Animal
scientists have noted significant behavioral patterns in elephants in
association with the grieving process, such as the way they carry their
ears, facial expressions and their body movements. Elephants have been
documented silently pausing at the site of the death of a companion for
several minutes suggesting grief. Their intelligence has been
compared to that of the great apes.
"The communication and understanding is so evident when you get inside the herd. I know of no other species, apart from ourselves, who gather to greet a newborn and equally appear to mourn their dead relatives," said film-maker John Downer.
Self awareness is another sign of intelligence. It points to consciousness. When exposed to mirrors, or reflective surfaces such as water, elephants will actually wipe smudges from their faces. They are also adept tool users, that learn specific techniques from elders. With all this noted, I go on to the crux of this article.
Members of the "Friends of the Philly Zoo" (FPZ) brought it to the attention of the PCJH that Dulary, one of the elephants on exhibit at the Philadelphia Zoo (the nation's oldest), was gored in the eye by a companion. Bette, the elephant that injured Dulary, is an African elephant. Dulary is the only Asian elephant at the zoo. Dulary is 40 years old and has spent her entire life at the Philadelphia Zoo after being captured, kidnaped from her family in Thailand and brought to the zoo as a baby. Had she been left in the wild she would have lived the normal life as a daughter, sister, mother and perhaps a grandmother by the age of 40 years.
Camera loving Dulary, hogging the shot in happier days.
"Friends of Philly Elephants" reported that Dulary received surgery for the injury. Reports are that since that time Dulary has been living in isolation, "for her own protection" in a cold hard concrete cell, with barely enough room to move around. She is said to be kept in her own fecal matter for hours at a time. The group monitors the lives of the elephants at the zoo. It may seem ludicrous to you for me to consider this as amounting to some form of cruel solitary confinement...the hole, but in my opinion zoos are just jails for animals. They are not there because they want to be. They have been captured, trapped and are being used for profit and entertainment, much in the same system of human slavery once was and is still being practiced in some places in the world.
Dulary's Prison
What happened between Dulary and Bette is a direct
result of these animals being too closely confined in improper
surroundings. She cannot be released into the general population
(Bette, Petal and Kallie) because there is not enough room at the 1/4
acre facility for her to escape another attack. The PFZ is
suggesting that Dulary be sent to the Elephant Sanctuary in Hohenwald,
Tennessee. The facility is the nation's largest natural habitat refuge.
It was developed specifically to meet the needs of endangered
elephants, like Dulary. The Elephant Sanctuary, is a non-profit
organization that is licensed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and
the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. It is specially designed for
for old, sick or needy elephants who have been retired from zoos and
circuses. The refuge has 2700 acres at its disposal and
provides two separate and protected, natural habitat environments
for Asian and African elephants.
Understanding that elephant psychology is akin the that of humans, you must realize that Dulary is not the PCJH's only concern. Bette, Kallie and Petal are also suffering. Elephants are gentle creatures by nature, yet the Philadelphia Zoo still uses the archaic, barbaric and humiliating method of "free contact," (bullhooks and chains to guide and "control" the elephants). In environments where elephants and people co-exist, such at Thailand simple flexible bamboo shoots or the gentle touch of a hand is all that is needed.
The Philadelphia Zoo maintains that the elephants are "healthy" yet, the cramped quarter acre elephant facility is far too small to harbor a healthy physical and psychological environment for these creatures when it is considered that in the wild they require
“Philadelphia Zoo’s misguided plan to replace the elephant enclosure with a $20 million, 2.5-acre exhibit does not provide nearly enough space for the elephants, so we will continue to see dangerous incidents in which elephants can be severely injured or even killed. The proposed exhibit will still be woefully insufficient for the world's largest land mammals who are designed for almost constant movement and in the wild can walk more than 30 miles in just one day; there are 640 acres in just one square mile,” says Rowan Morrison of Friends of the Philly Zoo Elephants.
The PCJH is also concerned about the other elephants at the zoo, Petal, Kallie and Bette.
Petal (49) an African Elephant is one of the group that has been confined at the Philadelphia zoo for an undetermined number of years.
Kallie (23) was captured in Zimbabwe. She has been confined at the Philadelphia zoo since April 2004. The Friends of Philly Zoo Elephants reports that Kallie is confined at night year round, perhaps even chained in a "concrete barn the size of a three-car double car garages along with Petal, Dulary and Bette
.
Bette (23) was also brought to the Philadelphia zoo in April 2004. She was born in Zimbabwe, but was kidnapped from her family and brought to be confined to a zoo in the United States.
What it amounts too is sacrifice by those of us who
claim to "care" about animals. We must give up our desire to see
them, up close and in person so that they can live out their lives
humanely.
. If you are concerned and you want to help, there is a petition being circulated that will be sent to Peter G. Gould, the Chairman, at the Philadelphia Zoo. The letter contains a statement from, Michael Schmidt, DVM, the former Chief Veterinarian at the Portland Zoo. I informs Mr. Gould as to the impact that unsatisfactory conditions has on confined elephants. The petition also includes recommendations for a proper environment for elephants and urges Philadelphia to follow San Francisco's lead. You can read and sign the petition at http://www.petitiononline.com/1332/petition.html .
You can also get involved personally and join the Friends of Philadelphia Elephants for one of their demonstrations. You can find out when and where by logging on to this website, http://www.helpphillyzooelephants.com/page/page/2400371.htm
"The communication and understanding is so evident when you get inside the herd. I know of no other species, apart from ourselves, who gather to greet a newborn and equally appear to mourn their dead relatives," said film-maker John Downer.
Self awareness is another sign of intelligence. It points to consciousness. When exposed to mirrors, or reflective surfaces such as water, elephants will actually wipe smudges from their faces. They are also adept tool users, that learn specific techniques from elders. With all this noted, I go on to the crux of this article.
Members of the "Friends of the Philly Zoo" (FPZ) brought it to the attention of the PCJH that Dulary, one of the elephants on exhibit at the Philadelphia Zoo (the nation's oldest), was gored in the eye by a companion. Bette, the elephant that injured Dulary, is an African elephant. Dulary is the only Asian elephant at the zoo. Dulary is 40 years old and has spent her entire life at the Philadelphia Zoo after being captured, kidnaped from her family in Thailand and brought to the zoo as a baby. Had she been left in the wild she would have lived the normal life as a daughter, sister, mother and perhaps a grandmother by the age of 40 years.
Camera loving Dulary, hogging the shot in happier days.
"Friends of Philly Elephants" reported that Dulary received surgery for the injury. Reports are that since that time Dulary has been living in isolation, "for her own protection" in a cold hard concrete cell, with barely enough room to move around. She is said to be kept in her own fecal matter for hours at a time. The group monitors the lives of the elephants at the zoo. It may seem ludicrous to you for me to consider this as amounting to some form of cruel solitary confinement...the hole, but in my opinion zoos are just jails for animals. They are not there because they want to be. They have been captured, trapped and are being used for profit and entertainment, much in the same system of human slavery once was and is still being practiced in some places in the world.
Dulary's Prison
Understanding that elephant psychology is akin the that of humans, you must realize that Dulary is not the PCJH's only concern. Bette, Kallie and Petal are also suffering. Elephants are gentle creatures by nature, yet the Philadelphia Zoo still uses the archaic, barbaric and humiliating method of "free contact," (bullhooks and chains to guide and "control" the elephants). In environments where elephants and people co-exist, such at Thailand simple flexible bamboo shoots or the gentle touch of a hand is all that is needed.
The Philadelphia Zoo maintains that the elephants are "healthy" yet, the cramped quarter acre elephant facility is far too small to harbor a healthy physical and psychological environment for these creatures when it is considered that in the wild they require
“Philadelphia Zoo’s misguided plan to replace the elephant enclosure with a $20 million, 2.5-acre exhibit does not provide nearly enough space for the elephants, so we will continue to see dangerous incidents in which elephants can be severely injured or even killed. The proposed exhibit will still be woefully insufficient for the world's largest land mammals who are designed for almost constant movement and in the wild can walk more than 30 miles in just one day; there are 640 acres in just one square mile,” says Rowan Morrison of Friends of the Philly Zoo Elephants.
The PCJH is also concerned about the other elephants at the zoo, Petal, Kallie and Bette.
Petal (49) an African Elephant is one of the group that has been confined at the Philadelphia zoo for an undetermined number of years.
Kallie (23) was captured in Zimbabwe. She has been confined at the Philadelphia zoo since April 2004. The Friends of Philly Zoo Elephants reports that Kallie is confined at night year round, perhaps even chained in a "concrete barn the size of a three-car double car garages along with Petal, Dulary and Bette
.
Bette (23) was also brought to the Philadelphia zoo in April 2004. She was born in Zimbabwe, but was kidnapped from her family and brought to be confined to a zoo in the United States.
. If you are concerned and you want to help, there is a petition being circulated that will be sent to Peter G. Gould, the Chairman, at the Philadelphia Zoo. The letter contains a statement from, Michael Schmidt, DVM, the former Chief Veterinarian at the Portland Zoo. I informs Mr. Gould as to the impact that unsatisfactory conditions has on confined elephants. The petition also includes recommendations for a proper environment for elephants and urges Philadelphia to follow San Francisco's lead. You can read and sign the petition at http://www.petitiononline.com/1332/petition.html .
You can also get involved personally and join the Friends of Philadelphia Elephants for one of their demonstrations. You can find out when and where by logging on to this website, http://www.helpphillyzooelephants.com/page/page/2400371.htm
Time is of essence.
These animals cannot speak for or protect themselves.
copyright 2005 PCJH