Appeal for elephants to be freed from zoo

An application was lodged in the High Court of South Africa for the Johannesburg Zoo in Parkview to release the three elephants in captivity there.

The application was made on June 20 in Pretoria by the Animal Law Reform South Africa (ALRSA), Elizabeth Margaret Steyn of EMS Foundation, and Khoi leader Chief Stephen Fritz. In a joint statement, the organisations said elephants Lammie, Mopane and Ramadiba needed to be released into a rewilding facility as they were currently being held in conditions unsuited to their basic needs.

“The elephants were cruelly separated from their families, deliberately captured by humans for a life in captivity, experiencing life-long trauma as a result. In captivity elephants have no agency. An elephant in a zoo is simply an exhibit, deprived of natural environment and social conditions. A better exhibit would be a live link to the elephants living out their real lives in a natural environment,” executive director of the EMS Foundation, Michele Pickover said.

Law professor at University of Johannesburg and director of ALRSA David Bilchitz noted that the evidence from the scientific experts suggested that there were not just moral wrongs being done but also a violation of serious legal obligations by the zoo authorities and Johannesburg municipality.

Third applicant in the matter, community leader Fritz remarked, “For many years I have felt ashamed and powerless. I am therefore relieved that a large number of experts and scientists have united, bringing together a wealth of knowledge to offer these elephants a powerful defence.”

In his affidavit, Fritz stated that the manner in which the elephants were confined and exhibited was offensive to the culture and living heritage of the Khoi people and undermined the recovery and perpetuation of their living heritage.

The statement further revealed that despite repeated representations and requests to release the elephants from captivity at the Johannesburg Zoo, the officials have failed or refused to do so. The applicants are therefore requesting that the court release them into the care of the EMS Foundation who will appoint relevant and qualified experts to assess the elephants and manage their relocation, rehabilitation and reintegration into a suitable wild environment.

The Johannesburg Zoo was reached for comment but said they did not have a statement at the time of publication.

Share your comments on Facebook at Rosebank Killarney Gazette.

Related articles:

Update: Joburg Zoo ecstatic after the arrival of their ‘two tons of fun’ [VIDEO]

Joburg Zoo insists all processes were followed to obtain two new elephants