Wild Adventures named on worst zoo list for elephants

VALDOSTA — Wild Adventures Theme Park is included in an animal advocacy group’s list of worst zoos for elephants.

But park officials said the elephant receives proper care.

The Valdosta theme park rated a “dishonorable mention” on In Defense of Animals’ list of 10 Worst Zoos for Elephants in North America of 2018.

The main reason for the animal protection agency putting Wild Adventures on the undesirable list is because the park’s Asian elephant, Shirley, 75, is alone.

Elephants are social animals, particularly with other elephants, said Laura Bridgeman, In Defense of Animals acting elephant campaign director.

“Oftentimes what puts a zoo on the list is when they keep elephants in solitary confinement,” Bridgeman said. “Shirley has been kept alone in an exhibit for some time now.”

Shirley has been with Wild Adventures since 1998 and is considered the oldest living elephant on record.

Adam Floyd, Wild Adventures public relations manager, said Shirley’s old age doesn’t just happen without being cared for properly.

“Wild Adventures is her home,” Floyd said. “The fact that she has been here for so long, and that she has thrived for the past 25 years and she is the oldest living Asian elephant on record, definitely speaks to the incredible quality of care that she receives here at Wild Adventures.”

Some of that care includes an innovative habitat that allows her to lay down or sleep without completely going to the ground, daily foot care and massages and all the biscuits she could want.

The issue of Shirley being alone has been brought to Wild Adventures’ attention before, Floyd said. However, Shirley did not move to Wild Adventures alone.

Since the 1940s when Shirley came to the United States, she was accompanied by two elephants who also came with her to live at the theme park in 1998.

Those elephants have since passed away, Floyd said. Because of Shirley’s age, he said the staff doesn’t think introducing her to a new elephant would be a good idea.

“When the other two elephants passed away from old age, we understood that introducing a new elephant to Shirley would cause an undue amount of stress for her and would not be in her best interest at her age,” Floyd said.

He said she gets plenty of social interaction from zookeepers, guests and animal neighbors.

However, Bridgeman said the right thing to do would be to let Shirley retire in an elephant sanctuary, such as the ones the animal organization has located in Africa, India and Mississippi.

“This is just so she can have an opportunity to live the rest of her life with companionship, and so she has a lot more space to roam,” Bridgeman said.

“It’s a better life for her than having her on display for people. In Defense of Animals hopes that Wild Adventures can do the right thing.”

The 10 Worst Zoos of 2018 included the Bronx Zoo in New York, Natural Bridge Zoo in Virginia, Dallas Zoo in Texas, Louisville Zoo in Kentucky, Roger Williams Park Zoo in Rhode Island, Birmingham Zoo in Alabama, Caldwell Foundation Zoo in Texas, Topeka Zoo in Kansas, Seneca Park Zoo in New York and Milwaukee County Zoo in Wisconsin.

The Oregon Zoo in Portland, Ore., was listed separately on the list as a “Hall of Shame” zoo.

Headquartered in California, In Defense of Animals has worked for 30 years to protect animals, people and the environment through a number of methods. This 15-year-old list is just one of the ways the organization has kept tabs on elephant treatment specifically.

Aside from Shirley, Wild Adventures has habitats for a number of animals from across the globe. Located at 3766 Old Clyattville Road, the theme park is closed to the public for the season until March 9.

Katelyn Umholtz is a reporter with the Valdosta Daily Times. She can be contacted at (229)244-3400 ext. 1256.

Please credit and share this article with others using this link:
https://www.valdostadailytimes.com/news/local_news/wild-adventures-named-on-worst-zoo-list-for-elephants/article_3e3f68e0-3c2d-5936-91ca-a935ef41e367.html

Human elephant conflict: After trenches and walls fail, 'disco lights' keep jumbos at bay

Bengaluru, Dec 10: At a time when hundreds of kilometres of solar fencing and trenches around the sanctuary area have failed to prevent elephants from raiding human habitations, unique methods like use of disco, LED lights with siren and bio-acoustics are being used by the forest department
to keep elephants at bay.

Farmers and residents have been using a simple device with LED strip lights and AC/DC converter to scare away wild animals such as wild boar, bison, and elephant that attack during night.

LED lights are being utilised to prevent rampaging elephants from destroying farmers crops. The method which was used in Kapilash Range of Dhenkanal Forest Division in 2016 has shown promising results. A total crop area of around 45 acres was covered in which lights were put up at intervals of 60 metres each on bamboo poles at a height of about 8 feet. The lights were placed at the eye level of elephants so that they can see them from a long distance.

Aso Read | Rising jumbo death sets alarm bell ringing in Odisha

Elephants did come to the field where paddy followed by cauliflowers, brinjals, tomatoes, potatoes, pumpkins, and bananas were grown. The big mammals kept waiting at a distance from lights, but did not invade the crop field. Similarly, lights were put up during the mango season from April to June 2016 at an orchard spread over 12 acres at Ganjara village near Hindol Forest Range and 20-acre orchard at Patusahi Kateni village in Dhenkanal district. In line with Odisha, the Kerala forest department has deployed 360-degree rotating party lights in forest fringes to scare off wild elephants from human habitations, and they have clicked. Lights had been successful in keeping successful in keeping stray jumbos at bay in the human-wildlife conflict.

Here are some of other tactics used to tackle elephants Chilli

Elephants don't like chillis. Capsaicin, the chemical in chillis that makes them hot, is an irritant, causing elephants to cough, sneeze and eventually turn away. In 2017, University of Stirling, had carried out the first study assessing the effectiveness of burning exclusively chilli-briquettes - made from dung and chillies - in altering elephant behaviour.

Also Read | Elephant Death: Karnataka mulls shifting jumbo camps from forests

The study found discovered that burning briquettes during the night triggered a change in elephant movement trajectories - turning them from predominantly nocturnal creatures to diurnal.

 Noise 

It is common practice to use loud noise to scare away intrusive elephants. Noisemakers include firecrackers, pipe cannons, vehicle horns, shouts, and rifle-shots. Elephants do grow used to such sounds, especially when the sounds are generated automatically. But loud noise is an effective short-term deterrent against naïve elephants, especially when combined with confrontation by a large group of guards.

Smoke, Fire 

In some areas people burn elephant dung or any other material that will smoulder and create heavy acrid smoke. (Sometimes even tires, but that's not encouraged.) Both the fire and the scent of smoke work as repellents, but wind and weather are a factor, and, as mentioned above, elephants are known to put out small fires.

Guns 

The scare-away gun is nothing but a big look alike of an old artillery gun kept at forts along with a gas cylinder. In 45 seconds it will fire one shot making a deafening sound of enough decibel to scare away the elephants.

Please credit and share this article with others using this link:
https://www.oneindia.com/feature/human-elephant-conflict-after-trenches-and-walls-fail-disco-lights-keep-jumbos-at-bay-2820251.html

Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary is a Perfect Place For Spotting The Elephant

Established in 1976 by Sanjay Gandhi, Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary is spread across an area of 195 square kilometre in the city of Jamshedpur in Jharkhand. The sanctuary lies in the catchment area of Subarnarekha River offering a great habitat for wildlife to exist. Exploring the pristine ecosystem surrounded with dense forests, rare wildlife, and lush hills can make for a relaxing vacation.

If you’re forever enamoured by the idea of giant elephants amidst dense forests, then this is the place for you. You could easily run amok them and have a great time capturing them on camera; Dalma gives you the scope of being free around wildlife. There’s a lot of other rare species like the big-eared pachyderms, leopard, barking deer, deer, sloth bear, and giant squirrel that you will find here.

There’s also an ancient Lord Shiva Temple inside the sanctuary which holds great importance among the locals. People from all walks of life visit the temple to offer prayers on the occasion of Mahashivratri. After the shrine, you can also visit the Dalma Mai Shrine after whom this sanctuary has been named.

If you’re a hardcore wildlife enthusiast and want information related to all the flora and fauna of the region, head to the Museum- cum-Interpretation Centre at Makula Kocha. It has been established to promote the biological and zoological research of the vegetation and species of the sanctuary.

Try and stay at the bamboo huts in Makula Kocha. It’ll be an experience to be in the lap of nature, surrounded by an abundance of flora. There are single bamboo huts as well as plush cottages that you could choose from.

The best time to visit is between October and March because the temperature (26 degree celsius) is just right to explore the sanctuary during the day. At night, the temperature drops to 11 degree celsius; nice and chilly to huddle around with a hot drink in hand.

Please credit and share this article with others using this link:
https://www.india.com/news-travel/you-can-walk-amid-wildlife-at-dalma-wildlife-sanctuary-in-jharkhand-3448450/

Thrissur: SC notice on jumbo race

Thrissur: The Supreme Court has ordered to send legal notice to the Guruvayur Devaswom managing committee based on a petition to ban the annual elephant race at Guruvayur temple.

The petition was filed by the Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre (WRRC) in Bangalore on the basis of another petition pending before the SC citing the alleged atrocities meted out to captive elephants in 12 states in India.

“The petition to ban the annual jumbo race was filed several months ago and the SC took it up for hearing on Thursday. The WRRC counsel told the court about the torture suffered by the pachyderms during the race and said the show was held as an entertainment for the crowd,” Suparna Ganguly, WRRC chairperson, said.

Ten among the elephants of the devaswom are selected by the veterinary doctors of the GD to take part in the ‘Aanayottam’ of which five are selected through a draw to run the 500-metre race from Manjulal to the eastern entrance tower of the temple. Suparna Ganguly was earlier assigned by the Animal Welfare Board of India to file a report on the plight of nearly 50 elephants owned by GD at its elephant sanctuary near Punnathur Kotta, three km from the temple.

Please credit and share this article with others using this link:
https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/current-affairs/021118/thrissur-sc-notice-on-jumbo-race.html

In India, an elephant wins freedom from tourist rides and the illegal wildlife trade

Suman, left, with her mother Champa, an overworked elephant who gave tourists joy rides in India before she fell severely ill and passed away. Last week, a court ordered that Suman should be handed over to the state wildlife department and we hope she will soon be moved to a sanctuary. Photo by HSI

It is a heartrending story, but with a happy ending for one elephant. Suman is born into captivity to Champa, one of dozens of elephants who are used to ferry tourists up and down the hills to Amer Fort, a popular spot in Jaipur, India. When Suman is still a calf, her overworked mother, to whom she is very close, falls severely ill and passes away.

Suman, severely stressed and agitated by her mother’s death, would have faced a life similar to her mother’s – as an elephant giving joy rides to tourists — if not for the relentless efforts of Humane Society International and our partner in India, People for Animals. Last week, in response to a court case filed by HSI/India and PFA challenging the legality of Suman’s ownership, a court ruled that the 10-year-old elephant should be handed over to the state wildlife department. Suman is now being moved to a state-run rescue facility and we hope she will be soon moved to a sanctuary where she can spend the rest of her life in peace and in the company of other elephants.


To read the full article, click on the story title.

In India, an elephant wins freedom from tourist rides and the illegal wildlife trade

It is a heartrending story, but with a happy ending for one elephant. Suman is born into captivity to Champa, one of dozens of elephants who are used to ferry tourists up and down the hills to Amer Fort, a popular spot in Jaipur, India. When Suman is still a calf, her overworked mother, to whom she is very close, falls severely ill and passes away.

Suman, stressed and agitated by her mother’s death, would have faced a life similar to her mother’s – as an elephant giving joy rides to tourists — if not for the relentless efforts of Humane Society International and our partner in India, People for Animals. Last week, in response to a court case filed by HSI/India and PFA challenging the legality of Suman’s ownership, a court ruled that the 10-year-old elephant should be handed over to the state wildlife department. Suman is now being moved to a state-run rescue facility and we hope she will be soon moved to a sanctuary where she can spend the rest of her life in peace and in the company of other elephants.

Elephants in India are a beleaguered species and they face many threats, including habitat loss due to environmental degradation, human-animal conflict, poaching and the illegal wildlife trade, in which Suman was caught up. Studies show that the number of Asian elephants has dropped by at least 50 percent over the last three generations.

It is estimated that 3,500 elephants in India now live in captivity. India’s Wildlife Protection Act, passed in 1972, makes it illegal to capture elephants for commercial purposes, but people who already “owned” elephants at the time the law was passed were allowed to keep them so long as they obtained an ownership certificate. Unfortunately, like Suman, most of the elephants now in captivity are being held illegally and without the required papers.


 To read the full article, click on the story title.

Pachyderm is rescued in Thailand in ‘Love & Bananas: An Elephant Story’

Ashley Bell would seem to be among the unlikeliest to make an important documentary on the plight of Asian elephants. But the actress known for “The Last Exorcism” low-budget horror films calls attention to a real-life horror story with her simple but emotional and effective “Love & Bananas: An Elephant Story.”

And a scary movie it is. You will not see the disclaimer “no animals were harmed in the making of this film,” because Bell wants to show us what real animal abuse looks like — she films the cruelty of the “Crush Box,” a small wooden cage where baby elephants separated from their mothers are beaten and tortured to break their spirit, a common practice.


But it is ultimately heartwarming, as she focuses her film on the rescue of a single elephant by one rather amazing Thai woman.

The elephant is Noi Na, a 70-year-old partially blind female who has been abused for decades, forced to spend long hours seven days a week giving tourists rides. Her rescuer is Lek Chailert, who has made it her life’s work — at great personal cost — to rescue elephants and to promote animal rights.

Chailert became a national figure in Thailand when she was declared an enemy of the state by the Thai government because of her criticism of policies that protect the elephants’ abusers (typically logging companies which force elephants to move heavy timber and elephant farms which train them to give tourists rides and perform in shows). As a result, her family disowned her.

However when her work became internationally feted by Time magazine, which named her one a Hero of Asia, and then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who hosted her at the White House, the Thai government suddenly embraced her. Funny how that works.

Chailert’s biggest legacy is her foundation and her Elephant Nature Park, a sanctuary where rescued elephants are freed, cared for and allowed to roam. It is here where Noi Na is to spend her final years — if she can make it there. The suspenseful portion of “Love & Bananas” is the delicate, dangerous process of transporting a resistant elephant 500 miles in a truck.


To read the full article, click on the story title

Dalma on alert over jumbo entry

Jamshedpur: The Dalma range office in Mango is on a high alert as two separate herds of about 50 elephants, including calves, may slip into the 192sqkm sanctuary anytime.

The jumbos are stationed at Jhunjka and Patamda, which are located close to the sanctuary. Eighteen from the group were spotted near Nutandih in the periphery of the Dalma reserve.

Instructions have been issued to foresters, guards and trackers (village youths recruited as daily wagers to keep a tab on the movement of elephants and other animals) to keep a close watch on the herds who are ambling back home after their annual sojourn in the jungles of West Midnapore and Bankura in neighbouring Bengal.

"We are on alert as we want safe passage of the jumbos into the sanctuary. We don't want them to damage standing crops in human settlements surrounding the sanctuary," Dalma range officer R.P. Singh said.

 Please credit and share this article with others using this link:
https://www.telegraphindia.com/states/jharkhand/dalma-on-alert-over-jumbo-entry-218348

Justin Trudeau India visit: Canadian PM visits Mathura wildlife sanctuary

Mathura District Magistrate S R Mishra and the SSP Police Swapnil accorded a warm welcome to the Trudeau along with Kartick Satyanarayan and Geeta Seshamani, founders of Wildlife SOS at the Elephant Conservation and Care Center.

 Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Sunday visited Mathura Wildlife SOS Elephant Conservation and Care Centre in Uttar Pradesh and interacted with the its founders and staff members. 

The wildlife sanctuary team discussed with the Canadian Prime Minister the need to create awareness about the plight of Asian elephants. Trudeau was accompanied by his wife and three children. Mathura District Magistrate S R Mishra and the SSP Police Swapnil accorded a warm welcome to the Trudeau along with Kartick Satyanarayan and Geeta Seshamani, founders of Wildlife SOS at the Elephant Conservation and Care Center. 

“It is a great honour for Wildlife SOS to have the Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau sparing his valuable time to see our efforts to protect elephants in collaboration with Forest Department. Our goal is to help conserve and protect elephants,” said Satyanarayan.

  Mishra said that it was an honour that the Prime Minister of Canada visited the Wildlife SOS Elephant Conservation and Care Center. 

“This center is a wonderful and unexplored area of Mathura. We hope his visit will attract more people to visite here,” he added. 

SSP Police Swapnil said that the police had learnt about the special request of the Canadian Prime Minister and made all arrangements to ensure his security during his visit to the Elephant Care Center in Mathura.

Please credit and share this article with others using this link:

http://www.financialexpress.com/india-news/justin-trudeau-india-visit-canadian-pm-visits-mathura-wildlife-sanctuary/1071019/

 

Justin Trudeau India visit: Canadian PM visits Mathura wildlife sanctuary

Mathura District Magistrate S R Mishra and the SSP Police Swapnil accorded a warm welcome to the Trudeau along with Kartick Satyanarayan and Geeta Seshamani, founders of Wildlife SOS at the Elephant Conservation and Care Center.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Sunday visited Mathura Wildlife SOS Elephant Conservation and Care Centre in Uttar Pradesh and interacted with the its founders and staff members. The wildlife sanctuary team discussed with the Canadian Prime Minister the need to create awareness about the plight of Asian elephants. Trudeau was accompanied by his wife and three children. Mathura District Magistrate S R Mishra and the SSP Police Swapnil accorded a warm welcome to the Trudeau along with Kartick Satyanarayan and Geeta Seshamani, founders of Wildlife SOS at the Elephant Conservation and Care Center. “It is a great honour for Wildlife SOS to have the Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau sparing his valuable time to see our efforts to protect elephants in collaboration with Forest Department. Our goal is to help conserve and protect elephants,” said Satyanarayan.

Mishra said that it was an honour that the Prime Minister of Canada visited the Wildlife SOS Elephant Conservation and Care Center. “This center is a wonderful and unexplored area of Mathura. We hope his visit will attract more people to visite here,” he added. SSP Police Swapnil said that the police had learnt about the special request of the Canadian Prime Minister and made all arrangements to ensure his security during his visit to the Elephant Care Center in Mathura.

Please credit and share this article with others using this link:http://www.financialexpress.com/india-news/justin-trudeau-india-visit-canadian-pm-visits-mathura-wildlife-sanctuary/1071019/

Paintings by Indian elephant auctioned off in Hungary

Paintings created by an Indian elephant who enjoys wielding a brush were auctioned off by a Hungarian traveling circus on Saturday.

Three of 42-year-old elephant Sandra’s abstract canvasses, with colored lines flowing across them resembling rivers, fetched about 40,000 forints ($150) each.

A painting depicting Sandra herself, done by a Hungarian painter, sold for 260,000 forints. The money will be offered to an elephant sanctuary in Malaysia.

Sandra paints with her trunk purely for pleasure, according to her owner and trainer Florian Richter, a horse acrobat and circus director.

Sandra, who was already well practised in a circus trick involving a shaving brush, was given a paintbrush and she quickly adapted her skills to the canvas.

Richter said that unlike many elephants in Thailand that are thought to be forced to paint, Sandra does it by herself when she is in the mood.

“I only help her with changing the brushes and putting them into paints but she does the rest by herself more or less. I praise her by saying ‘oh this is really good, or not so good’,” Richter said. “We have been together for 40 years so this is a family connection.”

Sandra arrived as a baby elephant at the circus where Richter grew up, as a seventh generation member of an acrobat family.

Please credit and share this article with others using this link:https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-hungary-circus-elephant/paintings-by-indian-elephant-auctioned-off-in-hungary-idUKKBN1D40O0

Human-Elephant Conflict Renders 21 Families Homeless

In another instance of Human-Elephant Conflict, a herd of elephants has entered and damaged parts of the village of Raitrai, Dharamjaigarh, over the past 14 days. The herd destroyed 17 homes in its wake rendering 21 families homeless.

The tiny hamlet has temporarily relocated itself to the neighbouring village of Poriya Panchayat Bhavan. Every day the villagers traverse a kilometre and a half, back and forth from their their temporary settlement to their village, in order to repair their homes. While some brave the flooded Samarsuta river during the course of their journey, others, on days of severe flooding remain stranded, choosing to spend the night in their broken homes.

Sajal Madhu, Sanctuary’s Mud On Boots Project Leader was at the scene to understand the issue and assist the locals of Raitrai. The DFO Pranay Mishra was informed of the incident. Upon reaching the location, he spoke to the villagers and assured them compensation for their losses. Rice was distributed to the villagers as a form of immediate relief.

In light of the rising Human-Elephant Conflict, the villagers were briefed on handling situation arising with elephants in the future. They were given guidance on affectively minimising damage and staying safe. They were also cautioned of elephant behaviour — why elephants get agitated and the importance of never instigating an elephant or a herd.

Human-Elephant Conflict has steadily been on the rise in the state of Chhattisgarh, as human settlements increase, mining intensifies and forests are razed, changing the migratory and feeding patterns of elephants. Habitat destruction and fragmentation has forced huge herds of these otherwise gentle giants into human settlements. While corporate conglomerates plough the land, man and animal alike struggle to consolidate their space.

As of the present-day scenario, awareness campaigns have become imperative in order to apprise people of the situation and help create a deeper understanding of these majestic creatures and mitigate conflict.

Please credit and share this article with others using this link:http://www.sanctuaryasia.com/conservation/news/10730-human-elephant-conflict-renders-21-families-homeless

Farmer trampled by elephants

Fear gripped the hamlets abutting the Koundinya elephant sanctuary in Palamaner and Baireddipalle mandals on Thursday, when the body of a farmer who went missing a few days ago was found in the forests in a highly decomposed state, after he was reportedly trampled by elephants.

Palamaner Circle Inspector A. Surendra Reddy said Muneendra, 32, of Chettapenta village of Palamaner mandal, went inside the sanctuary along with cows four days ago. As he didn't return home, his family members and neighbours searched for him but in vain. Some cattlemen noticed the body on Thursday and informed Palamaner police after identifying him.

The officials suspect that as the badly mauled body was found in the forests of adjoining Baireddipalle mandal, the deceased might have run for life from the a wild herd.

Marks of trampling and the footprints and dung of elephants were noticed in the vicinity.

Please credit and share this article with others using this link:http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/farmer-trampled-by-elephants/article19730585.ece