A circus that features lions, monkeys and camels has set up in Redbank, bypassing the Ipswich City Council’s longstanding ban on circus performances featuring exotic animals.
Lennon Bros. Circus opened its show to audiences last Friday on a block of land opposite Redbank Plaza off Collingwood Drive at Redbank.
While a spokesman for Lennon Bros. Circus said they were granted approval to set up on what they claim is private property, an Ipswich City Council spokesperson was adamant the land was state government-owned road reserve.
“Ipswich City Council had no involvement in approving the use of the land for a circus,” the spokesperson said. Deputy mayor Paul Tully said he was disappointed the state government had given the go-ahead for the circus.
“They should be working with the council to keep circuses with exotic animals out of the city rather than bypassing the council,” Cr Tully said.
A spokesperson for local MP Jo-Ann Miller was unable to confirm whether the land was state owned. The Ipswich City Council banned the use of exotic animals in circuses in 2009 however the ban does not include events held on private or state-owned land.
The circus, which will run until October 2, features three lions, ponies, monkeys, camels, mini donkeys and dogs. A statement on Lennon Bros. Circus’ website claims it is one of two circuses left in Australia with a big cats program.
The RSPCA is opposed to exotic animals being featured in circuses because the requirements of circus life on exotic animals were “not compatible with the physiological, social and behavioural needs of these animals”.
The Gold Coast City Council was the latest council in the state to ban the performance of exotic animals at circuses on council-owned land.
Allegations: It is accused of illegal possession of wild animals and illegal trade in wildlife.
A probe will soon be launched on whether it legitimately acquired its 2,000 rai block of land.
Background: In 2001, it had seven tigers.
: In 2015, officials found 147 tigers in its compound and embedded these big cats with microchips so they could be tracked.
: In 2016, officials started moving tigers out of the temple.
Shocking Discoveries: During the operation to search and catch tigers for relocation, officials found the bodies of 40 tiger cubs in jars, plus frozen tiger carcasses, tiger skins, tiger amulets, engraved tiger fangs and stickers about antler herbs and food supplements made of tiger bodies. The body of a binturong, antlers and parts of various other animals were also found in the compound.
Sorry not been around, pain controls my life as most of you know…feeling a bit better so thought I would get some posts done while I can. Some of them may be a little out of date, but I feel strongly about their causes so will post!! The story below will affect many Rhino, I don’t think this is the way to save our Rhino, if you agree with me, please sign the petition below!
The international trade in rhino horn has been banned for decades, and was shut down in South Africa – home to the largest population of rhinos on earth, according to data from 2009. The future of the rhino species is continuously jeopardized because of the demand for their horns. Thousands of rhinos have been ruthlessly killed by poachers to meet consumer demands for rhino horns.
Make no mistake; legalizing trade in rhino horn would have been nothing short of disaster for species that are just barely hanging on now as it is. The South African decision does not fix the plight of rhinos―but it gives space and time to tackle poaching, close down illegal markets and eliminate the loopholes that already help enable the $20 billion market in illegal international wildlife trade. South Africa bought more time for rhinos today―and should follow up with more key actions to keep these animals on the planet,” Alex Kennaugh, a wildlife advocate for the Natural Resources Defense Council, said at the time.
Now, however, the win is being undermined by a recent decisionhanded down by South Africa’s Court of Appeal, which effectively legalizes the trade within South Africa.
The ruling is the result of a challenge to the ban brought by rhino ranchers, and those on their side continue to argue that funds could be used to support conservation efforts, but opponents have serious concerns that it will do more harm than good, especially with poaching levels reaching record highs.
They also point to the fact that there’s virtually no market for horns within South Africa, which has raised worries that they will most likely be smuggled out and sold elsewhere illegally, and that legalizing the trade will kill the message that rhino horn, like elephant ivory, is something no one should be buying at all.
According to Reuters, in response the government may now change legislation, make obtaining permits to buy, sell or possess rhino horns so difficult to get it effectively stifles the trade, or it may possibly appeal to a higher court, but it’s not yet clear what course of action it will take.
Hopefully, it will do something to undo this. Considering the global efforts being undertaken to combat the illegal trade in wildlife and to promote the conservation of imperiled species in their natural habitats, we need to continue to push for more work on those fronts and rethink how inherently valuable these species are, instead of trying to figure out ways to ‘save’ them through continued exploitation.
“This is cruel, despicable, illegal & heartbreaking. Caught & imprisoned from cub to adult in tiny rusty cages; their world is one of pain, irritation, infection, teeth pulling & repulsive food; literally going stir crazy!! They simply won’t know what it is like to live as a wild bear should, with fresh air, lush grass & trees etc. They can not be returned to the wild as they simply wouldn’t be able to survive; having been kept a prisoner most of their pitiful lives!. Although the video documentary is 43 minutes long, I urge you to watch it, see how Animal Asia started undercover investigation to save these sentient beings. It is hard to imagine how these beautiful bears can still be bought or caught, entrapped some wear a metal jacket around them, with a tube constantly fixed; to extract bile. But it’s not just bile, parts of the bear can also be acquired; the farmers will make money dead or alive. Public demand warrants this abuse; even though there are now synthetic bear bile products, there is no need for these bears to live & die in a cage; in constant pain. These bears need to be rescued so please help by signing the petition at the end of this blog & share amongst your social media friends etc.”
29 January 2015
Thirteen more bears have died at Cau Trang Bear Farm in Halong Bay, Vietnam bringing the total death toll since November last year to 18.
In the two months since Animals Asia inspected three farms in the vicinity of the World Heritage Site, 26 of the 49 moon bears – a protected species – are said to have died leaving just 23 alive in Halong City.
(Some scenes are graphic) Although this video is long, please watch it to understand what happens to these poor bears & how Animal Asia came about to rescue them!
“Published on 13 Sep 2012
Watch the hard-hitting, undercover documentary showing the brutality of the bear bile industry across China, which recently won a top award at the Fifth China Ya’an International Panda, Animals and Nature Film Week. The documentary was made by three independent film-makers who devoted four years to its production, visiting small and large bear bile farms, revealing “legal” farms with conditions that are clearly breaking current regulations for such farms in China.”
Having previously focussed just on Cau Trang Farm, Animals Asia is now pressing the Vietnamese government to allow it to bring all 23 remaining bears in the Halong City area to its Vietnam Bear Rescue Centre in nearby Tam Dao.
The latest news has left Animals Asia staff devastated and angry that bears have been allowed to die when an offer for their rescue remains on the table.
Authorities, concerned that the bears are being slaughtered for parts for use in traditional medicine have also ordered that TV cameras cover their burial – as interest in the case continues to grow in Vietnam.
Animals Asia’s Vietnam Director Tuan Bendixsen said:
“The eyes of the country are now on Quang Ninh province and the relevant authorities to see that right course of action is taken. We cannot be sure of the exact details surrounding the bears’ deaths but we can say the farmer chose to let them die. We offered to treat the animals and the offer was rejected. It was the farmer who took the decision to let the animals die. It was a conscious choice. We can only speculate as to his motives.”
The Central Forest Protection Department (FPD) has informed Animals Asia that it is urgently requesting the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) form an investigation team.
The team, expected to include representatives from Central FPD, CITES and MARD’s Nature Conservation Department, would travel to Quang Ninh province to investigate the exact causes of death, whether the correct procedures were followed to dispose of the bodies and to ascertain how the remaining bears can be saved.
Animals Asia founder and CEO, Jill Robinson MBE, said:
“These deaths are utterly tragic and unnecessary. It’s heart breaking to learn that so many bears have spent years suffering on the farms, and have now needlessly died when there is a sanctuary ready and willing to give them the life they deserve just a few hours down the road.”
“Through the increased local coverage of the deaths of these bears, Vietnam is seeing the reality and brutality of bear bile farming. While their deaths have shone a spotlight on the industry in Vietnam, there was no need for them to die at all.”
“There have been enough delays and we’ve seen what that has achieved. The time has come to act, and act now. We are beseeching the authorities – let us save the remaining Halong Bay bears before it’s too late.”
Nearly 2,000 bears remain in cages in Vietnam being farmed for their bile for use in traditional medicine – despite the practice being made illegal. Bear bile farming technically became illegal in 1992 when Ministry of Forestry approval became necessary to keep bears. In 2002, bears came under CITES group I, making their exploitation strictly illegal. However it wasn’t until 2005 that the first species-specific regulations were enacted.
Animals Asia has rescued over 500 bears from bear bile farming as part of its work to end bear bile farming in China and Vietnam.
HELP US SAVE THE HALONG BAY BEARS
Emaciated, missing limbs, some near blind, others with open wounds, all starving – these are the animal collateral of Vietnam’s cruel bear bile industry.
Help us force the farmer who profited for years from these poor bears to hand them over to Animals Asia for urgent medical care and rehabilitation.
Sign the petition and ask the Vietnamese government to remove the bears from the farm so Animals Asia can give them the care they deserve.
Animals Asia was founded in 1998 and is devoted to ending the barbaric practice of bear bile farming and improving the welfare of animals in China and Vietnam.
More than 10,000 bears – mainly moon bears, but also sun bears and brown bears – are kept on bile farms in China, and just under 2,000 in Vietnam. The bears are milked regularly for their bile, which is used in traditional medicine.
Bile is extracted using various painful, invasive techniques, all of which cause massive infection in the bears. This cruel practice continues despite the availability of a large number of effective and affordable herbal and synthetic alternatives.
Most farmed bears are kept in tiny cages. In China, the cages are sometimes so small that the bears are unable to turn around or stand on all fours. Some bears are put into cages as cubs and never released. Bears may be kept caged like this for up to 30 years. Most farmed bears are starved, dehydrated and suffer from multiple diseases and malignant tumours that ultimately kill them.
“PLEASE DO WHATEVER YOU CAN TO HELP SAVE THE REMAINING BEARS! “
“Something like this would ring alarm bells to me, what or who is causing such a decrease in the number of tigers? If there was only 23 last year, what is the current number & where have these tigers gone. Is it poachers or hunters, the numbers are declining too fast for it to be of a natural death!! Something has to be done to find out why there is a decline in numbers & get onto it ASAP before these majestic tigers have gone for good!!!”
PILIBHIT: Taking cognizance of the matter related to rapid decrease in number of tigers in Pilibhit Tiger Reserve in three years, chief minister Akhilesh Yadav has decided to set up an enquiry in the matter.
Special secretary to the chief minister, GS Naveen Kumar, has referred the matter to the principal secretary of the forest department for taking further steps, MLA Hemraj Verma told TOI.
The issue was raised by the SP MLA from district Pilibhit, who had written to the chief minister in the third week of November. He had said that the forest department had counted more than 40 tigers in the forest area of Pilibhit district in 2010 and the figure had dwindled to 30 in 2012. The count had further declined to 23 in 2013, he had pointed out.
Retired chief wildlife warden Mohammad Ahsan welcomed the move and said special emphasis should be placed on the counting of tigers also in the adjoining Surai forest range of Uttarakhand and parts of Shahjahanpur district. This would help in determining whether the tigers of Pilibhit Tiger Reserve, especially the mother big cats, have not migrated to other forest regions to find safe habitats for their cubs or in search of easy prey.
An environmentalist from Pilibhit, Parvez Hanif, said that the investigation of missing tigers in PTR would not be complete if the process of capturing foot-prints of tigers was not applied simultaneously with picture capturing method through cameras.
He observed that the method of collecting footprints of tigers, which he claimed was applicable till 2007, , can assist the investigation team reach more exact conclusions.
The vice president of Wildlife Biodiversity Conservation Society Amitabh Agnihotri said that the investigation team should find out the effects of human encroachment on the tiger population and devise ways to reduce such interference.
Most animal charities & the public want to see a ban worldwide of wild animals being used in circuses. Now the owner of this circus is circulating his own petition to keep his Malta circus open. So please if you don’t agree with animals performing degrading tricks, kept behind bars & of course the cruelty that has been documented in circuses: PLEASE SIGN THE PETITIONS BELOW. We can’t let this circus continue, if it does through its petition, the flood gates for circuses using wild animals may open again; that would be tragic after all the hard work has been done to stop them!!
Circus promoter says 2013 could be last year for animal circuses in Malta due to the proposed ban.
But circus promoter Silvio Zammit has collected 5,000 signatures as part of a petition to overturn a proposal to ban animal circuses.
The circus has now moved to Ghajnsielem, Gozo, where Zammit hopes to continue collecting more signatures. The petition will then be passed on to the competent authorities.
Zammit, who has been bringing circuses to Malta for the past 16 years, said he could not allow the banning of animal circuses from Malta without taking any action.
“It was a personal initiative after finding out that the government had moved on to publish a White Paper proposing to ban animal circuses,” he said.
See all the animals, such as, Long horn cattle, Donkeys, Lama, Camels, Lions, Tigers, Zebra, Elephant, Giraffe, Baboon, Horses, Ponies, Donkeys performing pitiful & degrading acts; acts they would never do in the wild. The animal acts stop at 12 mins; then the human artists perform!I believe the only thing not seen is the Hippo; but is in a video below!!
He argued that only 390 persons took part in the consultation process initiated by the government, of which 49% said they were against such a circus.
“We know that the majority of these were NGOs, and NGOs do not reflect popular opinion. I am doing this petition on my own. I know that there are many others who would like to sign it, but I have neither the time nor the manpower to go on a nation-wide petition,” Zammit said.
He said he was “very happy” with the number of signatures collected: “This shows that the Maltese do love the circus. They won’t flood the streets of Valletta with placards to support the circus.”
He also said that a number of MPs from both sides of the House visited Circo Orfei this winter.“Some came with their children while others accompanied their grandchildren. They thanked me for the level of the show and all said they had fun,” Zammit said.
He however refused to name them.
The debate as to whether Malta should ban animal circuses for good has been going on for a number of years, with animal rights NGOs insisting that circuses solely operate to maximise profits while completely disregarding the safety of the animals and the adverse effects they may impose.
Animal Rights Coalition said veterinarians only attend to the animal’s physical needs and as a result, the psychological issues brought about by the circuses are not being addressed.
With a number of countries moving to ban animal circuses for good, Zammit said in Italy alone there were 800 circuses. He said the UK was one of the countries which will stop animal circuses as from next year. “But this was the result of many circuses caught mistreating their animals,” he said, adding that the circus he brought to Malta did not see animals performing any tricks and only a minimal part of the show was dedicated to animals.
Zammit argued that the circus animals were born in captivity “and therefore they do not know otherwise. Their trainers threat them like their pets”.
He said Animal Welfare Department officials and veterinarians made regular checks to verify that the animals were well-kept.
Circo Orfei’s travelling team is made up of 60 people, whose living depends on the shows, Zammit said.
“This is their life. They are a community who live on the road and have been doing so for years on end. This is how they earn a living… their bread and butter,” he said.
The Animal Rights Coalition has also called for a full ban on dolphinaria and aquaria. The coalition has said it was unjust to deny dolphins the right to roam free in their natural habitat and called for the ban on dolphinariums as these restrict the creatures to a mere pool.
The Coalition also said that this should extend to aquaria as in this case, animals are likewise being “confined to cages and restricted from roaming in their natural habitat”.
But Zammit feels that two weights and two measures were being applied when talking about animal circuses and aquaria.
He also said that circuses gave people the opportunity to see animals which would otherwise require them to travel abroad to zoos or safaris.
He insisted that a proper discussion was required and said he agreed that animals like elephants, pandas and monkeys should be banned. “What we have in our circus are horses, ponies, donkeys and tigers,” he said, adding that tigers in captivity lived for an average of 25 years while those in the wild lived for 12 years.
Circo Orfei also has a hippo and an emu as part of their travelling repertoire.
Published on 7 Jan 2013 – This video shows the hippo in the ring, but its towards the end of the video, after the trapeze act! What the hell is a hippo doing in a circus? Bloody outrageous!! Search CircoOrfei on You Tube to see all the animals when not entertaining :-http://youtu.be/GEMx3YVIRmg
Published on 6 Sep 2013 – This is about the lions & tigers in the outside enclosure plus RARE WHITE LIONS & TIGERS?? Are they interbreeding??:-http://youtu.be/K40RjOFsX4c
“The current assault against wolves in the wild, through hunting, trapping, poisoning dens, etc. is unnecessary and an indictment on the American People if we continue to look the other way. We must put an end to this unprovoked and inhumane slaughter. Please help by signing as many petitions as you can”
Louise du Toit – Ode to the Wolves – Wolf Paintings by Vincent A Kennard
“Ode to the Wolves” is an artistic tribute to all wolves, written to raise awareness about the endless atrocities they endure from humans all over the world, with a positive message to support the plight of the wolves and to end their suffering.
The music and lyrics of “Ode to the Wolves” were written by Louise du Toit and the paintings in the video were done by fierce wolf protector, author and artist, Vincent Arthur Kennard, with the purpose of accompanying the song.
Bringing Wolves Back! 43 Petitions. Please TAKE ACTION!
Wolf Caught In Leg Hold Trap
My apologies if any have ended before I get this posted!
“Few words are needed to describe this zoo, dirty, overcrowded, dilapidated; hell on earth for it’s poor residents. Many need moving to specialist zoo’s who can undo the harm caused at this disgusting hovel. There are rumours that meat brought in for the animals is shared amongst the staff to take home either for themselves or to sell on; that would account for the animals being so thin! Also talk of wildlife trafficking as some animals have gone missing in the past!
“Even the Mayor, although disgusted with the zoo, seems to have her hands tied. I have tried to cover as many stories as possible, so that you may read at your leisure. Although I found nothing concrete about the welfare of the animals until I came across this Facebook site:-Surabaya Zoo Animal Welfare Action – Cee4life
I feel slightly relieved, now that I can see a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel! Now Surabaya Zoo Animal Welfare Action – Cee4lifeare involved, hopefully things will start to change for the better for the remaining animals, along with the zoo management planning updates to more cages etc.
A Sumatran tigerat Surabaya Zoo inSurabaya, East Java, died on early Thursday after suffering digestive and respiratory problems for two years.
The zoo’s curator, Penta, said that Rosek, a 13-year-old Sumatran tiger, was founddead in its cage by a zookeeper. “We had been trying to treat Rosek and gave it enzymes for digestion. We also took the animal outside its cage for a walk and some sun,” Penta told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.
He said Surabaya Zoo now had only 10 Sumatran tigers, seven of which were females. One female tiger is currently undergoing treatment for an illness similar to that of Rosek. “Her name is Melani, see her picture below, it’s hard to believe a tiger in a zoo, could be left to get so bad!”
Internal conflict has plagued Surabaya Zoo since 1998 and peaked in 2007, when a number of animals died allegedly due to poor treatment. On Sept.8, 2012, Santi, a white tiger, died due to paralysis. “The video below is of a white tiger”
Data show that almost 250 animals at Surabaya Zoo died in 2011, including a mountain goat that suffered digestive problems.
An autopsy found plastic bags in its stomach. The zoo’s veterinary team also found 25 stones in the stomach of a dead crocodile.
From June to August 2010, 20 animals died at the zoo, including a Sumatran tiger and 13 baby komodo dragons. Most of the animals died from pneumonia, dehydration caused by diarrhoea and malnutrition, while other problems included a dirty and poor environment and lack of nutritious food. (asw/ebf)
Melani was born at the Surabaya Zoo 15 years ago and has been suffering from an undiagnosed digestive disorder for the past five years. Her weight has dropped to less than 60 kilograms (132 pounds), down from 75 kilograms and below the normal range of 75-110 kilograms. Her eyes look sunken and bones can be seen beneath her skin. “See the video below!”
Monday, April 15, 2013 photo, a keeper tries to feed Melani, a 15-year-old female Sumatran tiger that has been suffering from an undiagnosed digestive disorder for the past five years, in her cage at Surabaya Zoo in Surabaya, Indonesia. The emaciated female Sumatran tiger was in critical condition at Indonesia’s largest zoo Wednesday and may have to be put down after another rare tiger died at the problem-plagued facility earlier this month. (AP Photo)
“I think euthanasia is the best option to end her suffering because it is difficult to be cured,” said Tony Sumampouw, chairman of Indonesia’s zoo association, who was appointed to oversee the Surabaya Zoo after the government took control of it in 2010.
He added that Melani’s illness is likely the result of mismanagement and poor nutrition since she was young.
Melani is one of 10 Sumatran tigers — the world’s most critically endangered tiger subspecies — left in the zoo following the death two weeks ago of Rozek, a 13-year-old male. He suffered similar gastrointestinal problems for four years.
Melani has now been transferred
The zoo’s remaining Sumatran tigers, which are part of a breeding program, are kept in dirty, cramped cages along with 10 Bengal tigers. All appear healthy, but remain at great risk, Sumampouw said.
Chaerul Saleh, the WWF wildlife group’s campaign coordinator on endangered species protection, said he hopes the latest tiger cases will force government and zoo authorities to do more to safeguard the animals. Strong action is needed to change the culture of neglect and corruption within the facility, he said.
The zoo has been plagued by uncontrolled breeding, a lack of funding for general animal welfare and suspicions that staff members may be involved in illegal wildlife trafficking.
A Surabaya Zoo health worker checks the pulse of a sick 35-year-old female elephant named Fitri, which was suffering from swollen joints in her leg Picture: AFP/Gett
Questioned in Berlin, Surabaya Mayor Ashamed of Zoo
TEMPO.CO, Surabaya – Surabaya mayor Tri Rismaharini received many questions about the management conflict in Surabaya Zoo (KBS) when she visited Berlin a few months ago. As the result of the continuing conflicts, some animals died and abandoned. “I was truly ashamed when they highlighted KBS. I could not do anything,”
Risma could only explain that the management of the Zoo is conducted by the Ministry of Forestry and not her authority. “They asked, how does your country manage this? I am honestly ashamed at the time,” said Risma.
Melani the Sumatran tiger heaves herself painfully to her feet, walks to the fence and is hand-fed a few pieces of chicken cut into small chunks. She’s skin and bone, but she eats less than a child might before returning to chew, like a sick domestic cat, on the grass.
There are less than 400 of Melani’s kind still roaming the dwindling forests of Sumatra, and soon this zoo-bound specimen will also be dead, after spending most of her life in squalor in Surabaya Zoo.
She suffers from an unidentified wasting disease which means her food, even when it’s minced, passes through her, almost entirely undigested.
The Surabaya Zoo is a nightmare, plagued by uncontrolled breeding, a lack of funding for general animal welfare & staff are involved in illegal wildlife trafficking.
Zookeepers have been taking meat meant for the tigers and selling it in the local market. The tigers are emaciated & the 180 pelicans packed so tightly they cannot unfurl their wings without hitting a neighbour.
Last week, a giraffe died with a beachball-sized wad of plastic food wrappers in its belly. “This could be the white tiger that has already passed away; a blessing I think, seeing the state she was in”
FANTASTIC NEWS – MELANI. Not long ago, I have been informed by Zoos and Aquaria and Taman Safari, Indonesia, that the beautiful tigress Melani, has been safety transported and arrived at Taman Safari.
She is eating well, however her front and lower K9’s are looking quite rotten. Her demeanour is wonderful and she is now currently under going further veterinary testing. This is Melani when she arrived hours ago at Taman Safari.
On a side note, we understand that people are very passionate about this case, however please DO NOT write abusive or threatening letters to either Zoos and Aquaria or Taman Safari, as these are NOT the people who have had control over Surabaya Zoo.
In any case, if you write, please keep your language polite, however instead of cluttering up the good peoples email boxs with your demands, please work together in a positive way. As you can see, Melani is now getting the correct care she needs, she is safe and in the best hands now.
Please Read Additional News on the condition of the Surabaya Zoo & it’s animals:
In this photograph taken on March 1, 2012, Surabaya Zoo personnel attend to a 30-year-old ailing giraffe named Kliwon. The last remaining giraffe in the zoo died with 20 kilograms of plastic found in its stomach, the latest in a string of unusual animal deaths at the country’s biggest zoo. Picture: JUNI KRISWANTO/AFP/Getty Images
49 Animals Transferred From Surabaya Zoo – At last some are rescued (they call it transferred)
TEMPO.CO, Banyuwangi – As many as 49 animal collections from Surabaya Zoo (KBS) were transferred to Mirah Fantasia, Banyuwangi. The transferred animals include elephants, orang utans, iguanas, hippos, bekantans, gazelles, and some other mammals and birds.
From Surabaya, the animals were transferred by trucks to Mirah Fantasia. Rahmat Suharta, the Chief of Health Department from Surabaya Zoo, said that some of the animals must be transferred because KBS has been overloaded.
Rahmat also informed that Mirah Fantasia has already gained a conservation center operational license from the Natural Resources Conservation Office.
Ketut Suwardika, Mirah Fantasia Deputy Director, expected that the new collections will increase the number of visitors.
A baby elephant pulls against the chains secured around its legs as it moves around a cramped, concrete cell. One of the keepers tells Sumampau the chains are used to train the young elephant to walk.
Tony Sumampau was brought in by the Indonesian government to lead a temporary team to improve conditions when it took over the privately run zoo in 2010. He now spends two days a week trying to teach zoo staff how to care for animals kept in cramped and unsanitary living conditions for far too long.
Before Sumampau arrived, about 25 of the zoo’s 4,000 animals died each month, many of them prematurely, from disease and neglect. Among them was a cheetah, a gift from South Africa’s President, whose leg was bitten off by a tiger and later died.
Poor sanitation and uncontrolled breeding also remain serious challenges for the zoo.
Lutvi Achmad, the head of the East Java Natural Resources Conservation Center, who works with Sumampau, told CNN, “This overpopulation has been going on for so long, there’s inbreeding and for sure this won’t be a good thing for the Surabaya Zoo.”
The biggest problem Sumampau says is the lack of understanding of animal welfare and conservation. He is slowly training the zoo’s 70 keepers but faces resistance from some who have worked in the zoo for years, even decades.
Read the following horror stories regarding Surabaya Zoo:-
Surabaya Zoo scandal may prompt OZ boycott | The Jakarta Post:-Mar 17, 2012 … The poor treatment of animals at Surabaya Zoo may lead some Australian tour operators to boycott trips to East Java, according to a local …www.thejakartapost.com/…/surabaya–zoo-scandal-may-prompt-oz-boycott. html
Javanese bull dies at Surabaya Zoo | The Jakarta Post:- Mar 16, 2012 … A male Javanese bull, or banteng, named Leo, was found dead on Thursday afternoon inside of his pen inSurabaya Zoo in East Java after he …www.thejakartapost.com/…/javanese-bull-dies-surabaya–zoo.html
Letter: Indonesia’s zoos | The Jakarta Post:-Apr 12, 2012 … In response to the news and articles published by The Jakarta Post about Surabaya Zoo and “The State of The Ark: Zoos in Indonesia”, (March …www.thejakartapost.com/news/2012/04/…/letter-indonesia-s-zoos.html
Holy Morrisey | The Jakarta Post:-May 20, 2012 … Please take immediate action to close the Surabaya Zoo and transfer its animals to more suitable environments,” the letter, made available to...www.thejakartapost.com/news/2012/05/20/holy-morrisey.html
Morrissey delivers charming show in Jakarta | The Jakarta Post:-May 11, 2012… requesting the latter to take action on a notorious zoo in East Java. … immediate action to close the decrepit Surabaya Zoo and transfer its …www.thejakartapost.com/…/morrissey-delivers-charming-show-jakarta.html
Surabaya Zoo – Joining Forces – Cee4life has joined forces with Jakarta Animal Aid Network (JAAN) to help aid the animals of Surabaya Zoo. We are very happy and excited to have connected with JAAN. Together we can do extraordinary things ~ Sybelle
Unfortunately, whilst writing this (over several days), I have just found out more tragic news from the above site. Beno the black bear suffering from a terrible skin condition & or cancer, has sadly passed away.
R.I.P Beno, I hope you have now found the freedom & health, that was so cruelly denied you whilst caged up at Surabaya zoo!
Although the above is very sombre news indeed, I am just thankful thatSurabaya Zoo Animal Welfare Action – Cee4lifehave got involved. If anyone can kick their ass…it will be Sybelle!!
Asian Animal Protection Network
Animal Guardians
Animal People
Animals Asia Foundation
Animal Concerns Research & Education
Society
Humane Society International
Hong Kong Dolphin Conservation Society
International Animal Rescue
International Fund for Animal Welfare
Royal Society for the Prevention of
Cruelty to Animals (UK)
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals, Hong Kong
World Society for the Protection of
Animals
The white tiger has been a frequent sight at rallies for the political party Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz – but died following 30C heat
But vets could not save the animal, which belonged to a party worker, and it died yesterday morning.
Live tigers and lions are a familiar sight to those at PML-N’s rallies. Last week a complaint was made to the Election Commission but it said the matter did not fall under its remit, reports Dawn.
The World Wide Fund for Nature said white tigers are extremely sensitive to heat and noise and that the animal could not cope with Lahore’s 30C heat and the noise of the rallies.
The WWF said it is supporting a petition by actor and conservationist Faryal Gohar at the Lahore High Courtagainst the illegal use of wild animals at rallies.
“Please Note Graphic Image: furthest down page! Two items of related news: the first shows yet another image of an elephant killed by speeding train, in March 2013. In that article India’s Rail Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal stressed the need to protect the elephants from trains…the current news below is a step in the right direction!”
BHUBANESWAR: In a bid to check growing number of cases of elephants being fatally hit by trains, Odisha government today signed an MoU with the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) to develop a mitigation plan.
The New Delhi-based WTI would identify and map the critical accident prone sites and habitats of elephants and also identify factors – ecological, physical and man-made- responsible for accidental deaths of elephants.
“WTI will prepare a detailed report on mitigation plan and implement the Rs 9.9 lakh project over a period of 12 months,” said Forest and Environment minister Bijayshree Routray after signing the MoU.
Last year, the state has witnessed death of about 13 elephants due to train hits. While seven jumbos were killed due to train accidents in Keonjhar, four in Berhampur of Ganjam district and two in Dhenkanal district.
WTI will simultaneously organise consultations/ meetings/workshops with the staff of forest department and other stake holders departments and finalise mitigation plan and jointly implement a few identified shot term mitigation plan like signage along the railway track and awareness of train drivers, the minister said.
March 2013 – Giant elephant killed by speeding train INSIDE nature reserve as it tries to cross track in remote northeast India –
This tragic photo shows the body of a tusker elephant who died today when he was hit by a speeding train in West Bengal.
The adult elephant was struck by a train in a forest at the Buxa Tiger Reserve, a few miles from Alipurduar in north east India.
A speeding passenger train, the Guwahati-bound Somporkkranti Express, hit the elephant while he was crossing the railway line. He died instantly.
The tiger reserve where the elephant was killed is inside the Buxa National Park, which runs along India’s boundary with Bhutan.
This means that the tiger reserve serves as international corridor for elephants migrating between India and Bhutan, making a it a danger spot for train drivers.
Indian forest guards now have the difficult task of getting the huge animal off the tracks so that the train line can reopen.
Sadly this fatal collision was not an isolated incident.
As recently as December last year, five elephants were killed after they were hit by a passenger train in the eastern Indian state of Orissa.
They were crossing railway tracks with their herd.
At the moment there are around 26,000 wild elephants in India.
Although elephants are worshipped by many Indians, their shrinking habitat has made them increasingly unsafe, especially when travelling cross country.
The state of Orissa in eastern India last year issued a warning, asking trains to slow down because of moving elephants herd, but they say it was ignored.
The main reasons for elephant deaths are poaching, eating crops poisoned by farmers, and being hit by trains.
Last week, India’s Rail MinisterPawan Kumar Bansalstressed the need to protect the elephants from trains, describing the animals as ‘gentle giants’ whose lives must be safeguarded.
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ABOUT THESE POSTS
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Amy Mitchell-Whittington
DUE TO THE NATURE OF THIS BLOG - SOME PICTURES & VIDEOS CAN & WILL BE VERY GRAPHIC - SO PLEASE, VIEW THIS BLOG AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION.
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