Anne Curtis thanks Indian Government for enacting ban on the use of elephants in circuses and zoos
In Gesture of Appreciation, Actor Sends Flowers to Embassy on Behalf of PETA
Tweet-- Today, actor Anne Curtis sent flowers to the Indian Embassy on behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Asia to thank the Indian government for its recent decision to ban the use of elephants in all the country's zoos and circuses. Under the direction of the Central Zoo Authority (CZA), the freed elephants will be placed in government-run sanctuaries where they will be able to walk freely and play with other elephants.
Curtis and PETA are hopeful that the CZA's efforts will be among the first steps in changing the policies of zoos across Asia. Already, some zoos in Europe and North America have removed or are in the process of removing elephants from zoos.
"I am delighted to hear about India's recent decision to remove all elephants from zoos and circuses and place them in sanctuaries," Curtis writes in her note to Ambassador Shri Yogendra Kumar. "Sadly, many captive elephants-such as the Manila Zoo's Mali-continue to languish in solitude and suffer from boredom. I sincerely hope that other countries will be inspired by the example that you have set."
In the Manila Zoo, an elephant named Vishwamali ("Mali" for short) has been living in loneliness and boredom since 1977. With a small pool at the back of her enclosure serving as her only form of entertainment, Mali has shown signs of psychological distress. She paces incessantly and has been observed standing in one spot with her trunk to the ground. She has also been seen walking to the edge of her tiny enclosure and reaching out her foot in the futile hope of going farther. PETA is calling on the zoo to relocate Mali to an accredited sanctuary immediately. At a sanctuary, she would enjoy the vital companionship of other elephants and roam and forage amid lush, natural vegetation.
According to David Hancocks, former director of the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle, Washington, in the U.S., "[Elephants] are actually very poor candidates for life in captivity. ... Their requirements are so substantial-it is probably beyond the capabilities of most zoos to even begin to resolve them."
For more information on captive elephants and other captive animals, please visit PETAAsiaPacific.com.