Speak out for elephants

Written by The Zimbabwean

Wednesday, 26 May 2010 10:34

Dear Family and Friends,

Anyone who has had the great privilege of seeing elephants in the wild will know of the very close bonds that exist in their herds. Mothers are extremely protective of their calves, always shielding them from danger, suckling them until they are four years old. Other females in the herd are equally watchful of the youngsters, lifting them up with a trunk when they get stuck, giving them a push from behind when needed, waiting for them if they trail behind the herd. If you've ever been fortunate enough to go on a game drive, you will know that one of the most dangerous things to do is to get between a mother elephant and her calf.
In the mid 1980's I witnessed the splitting up of two young elephant calves that had been orphaned as a result of culling operations and were being hand reared in an Harare game park. Without notice or warning a capture team arrived one morning. At government level an elephant calf had been promised to a zoo in Korea and there was nothing that could be done to stop the export. The young male elephant calf, less than a year old, was darted, loaded into a crate and taken away just one month after he and the young female had arrived.

The female elephant calf left behind was distraught, running backwards and forwards along the fence, trumpeting, screeching and calling repeatedly for her companion. Again and again she lifted her trunk, scenting the air in all directions trying to catch his smell, rumbling and listening for his sound, charging anyone that tried to calm her. Some time later the sad news came that the little male elephant sent to Korea had not survived even a tenth of his expected 60 year life span
With this memory still fresh in my mind it has come as shocking news that a pair of 18-month-old elephant babies are about to be sent to North Korea. The elephants are among a group of animals being captured in Hwange National Park and are to be taken to a zoo in Pyongyang. In an arrangement between Zimbabwe's President and North Korea, other wild animals being exported include zebra, warthog and spotted hyaenas. Zimbabwe's director of the Department of National Parks has described the export as a business arrangement.

As I write, protests and international appeals are going on to try and stop the export of the two baby elephants. Among those totally against the export is a new organization that is starting to revolutionize animal welfare in Zimbabwe. Known as VAWZ, or Veterinarians for Animal Welfare Zimbabwe, this private Trust organization can't have started up at a better time. Among other things so desperately needed in Zimbabwe they are going to be investigating wildlife poaching, leopard hunting with dogs, animal imports and exports. They are going to inspect abattoirs and research laboratories and check on conditions for guard dogs and Police horses. And perhaps most important of all VAWZ will be involved in training and education, working with private and government departments and with animal health personnel in their endeavour to put animal welfare back on Zimbabwe's moral compass.
It is long overdue and Zimbabwe's bravest of the brave, Meryl Harrison, has come home to lead investigations for VAWZ. They need as much help and support as they can get and can be contacted at kamvet@zol.co.zw 

I end this letter with an appeal to anyone who has a voice to speak out for Zimbabwe's elephants: let them stay where they belong, with their family groups and herds in our hot, dusty, African bush, not in a zoo in North Korea. Until next time, thanks for reading, Ndini shamwari yenyu.