Nut jobs at work!!!!

In a move welcomed by all animal welfare people, the elephant will no
longer languish in zoos and be ill-treated and tortured in circuses in
India. We must now focus our efforts on getting them out of temples and
"religious" (irreligious?) places. Maybe, the years spent by the
undersigned, Mrs. Norma Alvares and a few genuine animal welfare people
serving as members of the High Powered Committee on Performing Animals
between 2005 and 2008 has not been in vain!

S. Chinny Krishna

Dear Dr Krishna,
Everyone involved in this decision making process
has to be congratulated on this progressive step. However, this is only the
beginning and we should make sure the tragedy of the elephant transfer from
Bengal to Japan is not repeated. We must also ensure the pachyderms are well
treated in the places they are sent to, there are some issues with Forest
Department safari elephants I am uncomfortable with.
I am also not sure Corbett is the right place for Shankar, the Delhi Zoo
African Elephant. It is my personal opinion that he would be happier in
Mysore Zoo with conspecifics. I have spent hours watching and filming him
and I well and truly believe the right place for him is Mysore Zoo rather
than Corbett. Comments and opinions invited.
Best wishes,

Shubhobroto

Dear Shubhobroto,

Let us face it - this is not an ideal solution. The principle of not
allowing elephants in zoos and circuses, however, is something we have
fought for. Elephants belong in the jungle - not in temples, zoos or
circuses. When the ban on tigers, leopards, lions, bears and monkeys came
in eight years ago, elephants were left out becauses of the large number
of these magnificent animals chained and kept in temples. With this ban,
one more hurdle to a ban on temple elephant seems achievable in the near
future.

Regards

S. Chinny Krishna

Yes! the condition of elephants in circuses and captivity with individuals(used for Begging or in Marriages/procession ) is very bad. Then comes Zoos.Since the elephants are very senstive and emotional, will the elephants of Zoo acclimatise the new environment? Since elephants have also developed bonding with its mahaouts and keepers in the Zoo, will the elephants which are in different Social group adjust with others?
Chatt Bir Zoo near Chandigarh has six elephants including acalf of about two and half year.

I totally agree with subhobroto's view point that african elephants should not be mixed with Asiatic.The Chatt bir Zoo in Punjab has faced the brunt as its Asiatic Lions came in contact with Africans and the hybrids have contracted some disease (may be due to inbreeding)as aresult of that almost all the Lion family is facing health problems.
It will be wise to keep them in open area in some Zoo.

Dr.Sandeep K.Jain
Member,Punjab State Board for Wildlife

Dear Dr Jain and Dr Krishna,
Thank you for expressing your
views. Please allow me to clarify myself.
First of all, let me state categorically that this is a positive step for
all elephants in captivity in zoos and circuses everywhere, in India and the
rest of the world. As Dr Krishna has rightly pointed out, elephants do not
belong in zoos and circuses, and if they are moved to national parks and
sanctuaries from zoos and circuses they will be closer to their natural
habitat. And I am also in concurrence with Dr Krishna when he says that this
step is going to assist the move to prevent elephants from being kept in
captivity in temples.
However, please note that in captivity African Elephants and Asiatic
Elephants can and have had mutually beneficial relationships. They have also
bred once and the world's first known hybrid elephant called Motty was born
in Chester Zoo in England. I have the record and also two pictures of Motty
that I am more than happy to share. Now Shankar's case in Delhi. I have
watched him for the past nine years and he is without a shadow of doubt, my
favourite animal in Delhi Zoo. He was in a large enclosure(now empty) with
his mate who died and he was subsequently moved to the present enclosure
with Asian Elephants. As I said, he should ideally have gone to Mysore Zoo
that has three African elephants and this was recommended in my zoo survey
but as he was a diplomatic gift, Delhi Zoo did not want to part with him. He
was kept chained most of the time and last month a biologist friend of mine
from UK visited the zoo with me and she discussed Shankar's fate with the
zoo director and was exploring other official venues to question his
chaining. But last week I was in Delhi Zoo and I saw Shankar and he was
unchained and in the company of an Asian Elephant. It is quite possible, and
I am quite prepared to believe that he might have bonded with his Asian
cousin, although I am not sure if this has happened and to what extent. But
as I said, African and Asian Elephants can have satisfactory bonds in
captivity and this gives rise to a tricky situation for the individual
animals concerned.
Lions in Chaatbir Zoo. There is no evidence that hybridisation was the
reason behind those animals getting ill. The lion situation is a bit
different from the elephant situation. I was approached by WSPA to give my
views on those lions and I was not convinced that they had become sick due
to hybridisation because the purity of species and purity of races concept
is quite similar to the Neo Nazi racist propaganda of preservation of purity
of genes. I talked about this with a scientist/geneticist of Wildlife
Institute of India last month after attending their Annual Research Seminar
and he told me that hybridisation of African and Asian lions is an option to
save the lions in Gir since they are genetically crippled although they are
apparently pure. I will post Nicky Xavier's paper separately for your
perusal. HYBRIDISATION CAN ACTUALLY STRENGTHEN ANIMALS DUE TO HYBRID VIGOUR
AND IS NOT NECESSARILY A BAD THING. And scientific opinion is split on the
preservation of pure genes. Hybridisation also occurs naturally in the wild.
With the possible exception of some isolated tribes in very remote areas,
all human beings are hybrid and and I know of no study that would say that
mixed race people are less healthy than pure races.
I see the Chandigarh Zoo lion case and the Delhi Zoo relationship of
African and Asian Elephants differently. Since there is an option of giving
Shankar the company of his brethren in Mysore, it is one worth exploring.
But if that is not possible, then I see two options : he stays in Delhi or
goes to Corbett. Leaving him in Delhi is ambiguous ethically. Should he stay
with an Asian companion who would be better off in Corbett? I do not claim
to know the answer but I appreciate Dr Krishna saying that this is not an
ideal situation.
Overall, this move is a good move from every perspective and I applaud it
as such. Dr Krishna and Norma Alvares have pursued this cause for years and
deserve kudos for this achievement regardless of what may happen to Shankar.
Very sadly, Shankar is likely to suffer as an African Elephant for being a
different species for no fault of his, but we can all pray that his
suffering will be the last of his kind in India and his Asian cousins will
never have to face chaining in zoos, circuses and temples. In fact, I have
been asked to give my opinion on this move by an elephant expert and I am
likely to repeat the statement I am making here.
If you deem anything else that is important for sharing, please do.
Best wishes,

Shubhobroto

Thanks Shubhobroto!
The main Cause may be inbreeding ,without any change .The breeding should be done under the Guidance of Geneticist/Biologist and stud records need to be made.

But for the purposes of CZA hybrids are not of much use in display areas as they donot present the true Pictures of a species /subspecies.
I also agree there is some thing better than nothig.The main concern should be welfare of Animals.
Regards

Dr.Sandeep K.Jain

Story courtesy of Wayne Jackson