Het gaat goed met de negen geredde olifanten in hun nieuwe leefgebied in Zimbabwe - Dieren werden 'getraind' voor safari-industrie

Rescued elephants 'doing well'

13-11-2009 Independent Online, South Africa


The nine elephants rescued earlier this year from a ranch in Zimbabwe where they were being "trained" for use in the safari industry, are doing well in their new environment.

Zimbabwe National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ZNSPCA) Chief Inspector Glynis Vaughn said on Friday the elephants were sighted on Thursday afternoon.
They were released into Hwange National Park on the November 3.

"Mary and her small group were sighted close to the release site, White Hills pan," Vaughn said in a statement.
According to satellite readings, the nine elephants had remained in the White Hills area.

National parks and wildlife management ecologist Edwin Makuwe, who is based at Hwange National Park, informed the ZNSPCA the nine elephants were still all together.

"While the elephants were aware of the parks rangers' presence, they continued to feed and moved away calmly.
"Their behaviour was completely normal for elephants in the park", Makuwe said.

National parks and wildlife management authority officials, with the assistance of ZNSPCA, Wild Horizons Trust and Elephants without Borders, would continue to monitor the rescued elephants and record their progress, Vaughan said.

The nine elephants were confiscated in April after an inspection by the ZNSPCA found cruel and torturous methods were being used to "tame and train" them for the elephant-back safari industry.

The animals - there were originally 10, but one had died of malnutrition and abuse - had been subjected to the most appalling cruelty "in the name of servicing an indefensible form of safari industry", the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) said earlier.

IFAW said the ZNSPCA had discovered several abuses during their inspection earlier this year. These included, among others, severe injuries to the animals' legs, caused by chains, and restricted access to both food and water.

(Bron: http://www.iol.co.za/)