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New elephant herd at Auckland Zoo 'unethical'

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Wed, 11 Aug 2010 10:59a.m.

The new herd will replace Kashin (above) the zoo's former elephant attraction

The new herd will replace Kashin (above) the zoo's former elephant attraction

An animal welfare group says Auckland Zoo's plan to bring in a new elephant herd is unethical and will result in them suffering.

The zoo is meeting with the Auckland City Council today to discuss the $13 million plans to increase the zoo's boundary and make room for the herd.

But SAFE campaign director Hans Kriek says many zoos overseas are deciding not to keep elephants because they do not fare well in captivity.

Mr Kriek says many zoos have decided against keeping elephants on grounds of animal welfare.

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Comments

11 Aug 2010 07:36p.m.

Greg wrote:

Having previously worked with elephants both abroad and at Auckland zoo, I can say that there are negative consequences psychologically on captive elephants. Management methods today have reduced these but it will forever be a problem with such an intelligent animal. Lets be honest these animals are wanted for entertainment purposes, any benefit to conservation or the species is unsubstantial and an easy excuse. The tremendous expense of obtaining and maintaining these animals as a mere attraction, especially knowing that captive elephants do undergo psychological trauma makes you really ask is it worth it? really?

11 Aug 2010 07:35p.m.

Mollie Campbell wrote:

I sincerely hope common sense and the welfare of animals will prevail and a new herd of elephants, or indeed, even one elephant, will be taken out of their natural habitat i.e., a much warmer climate together with their natural & suitable food requirements. Instead you could give our lonely surviving elephant a new lease of life in much better surroundings to spend the rest of her life. I'm sure that if you must persist in continuing to spend money we can ill afford at this time, it could be utilised in improving the lives and conditions of the other wonderful species already in the zoo. Provide them with more breathing space. I can assure you that people will always go to visit zoos and will not stop just because there is no elephant in residence in fact they will be delighted to know they are in a better place. How would you like to be uprooted from your home and put into an enclosure and at a very much lower temperature than is natural to your species. This is the reason that elephants do not thrive in cold countries & it's time we faced it we are a pretty cold country. Perhaps the zoo spokesman should be sent to a little hut in the Antarctic and he may just get the idea. It is all relative.

11 Aug 2010 07:31p.m.

joe wrote:

Please let the elephant out of the zoos.I believe zoos are an animals jail.

11 Aug 2010 07:28p.m.

Drew wrote:

Bring in the Elephants. Give them a good home here. release the space at the elephant sanctuary overseas to take in other elephants at risk.

11 Aug 2010 07:22p.m.

Olga wrote:

I agree with Hans. He is right about not keeping elephants in zoos, because animals should have space and be able to live with other elephants. In the wild is best. By the way my kids refuse to go to the zoo because they feel sorry for the animals.

11 Aug 2010 07:22p.m.

Jane wrote:

Elephants should most definetly be kept in the wild, Kashin would be much better off with her own kind in the wild, it's cruel to keep them in zoo's, they are social animals that need to keep with kindred souls.

11 Aug 2010 07:18p.m.

Gracie wrote:

Save The Elphants Keep Them At The Zoo!!!

11 Aug 2010 07:15p.m.

elise wrote:

i think that it is cruel and that we should treat them as equal as all other wild elephants.I am very appauled at this matter and i think they should be set free !