TRAVEL TRAINING FOR AN ELEPHANT

Now that former President Joseph Estrada is now the Mayor of Manila, 

I hope he will fulfill his promise of sending Mali to the sanctuary in Thailand.
Below is my latest article on Mali.

            A better life for Mali.

            That’s the claim that has fueled the tug war between Manila officials and the animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).

            PETA wants Mali transferred to the Boon Lott Elephant Sanctuary in Northern Thailand where she will have hundreds of acres of land to roam, other elephants to play and bond with, and lots of natural stimulation for her mental, physical and emotional health.

            Public support for the PETA proposal is increasing. Frequent media coverage has made the Filipino public aware of Mali’s plight. The list of legislators, politicians, church leaders, prominent personalities and even international experts and famous animal activists all demanding Mali’s transfer to BLES has grown in the last few months. 

Manila zoo officials, on the other hand, want Mali to remain in the zoo, alone and miserable, sans the expert care and proper conditions she needs for her physical health and sans the company of other elephants that she needs to lead a normal life.

            Zoo officials, with the obstinate and misguided support of Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim, claim Mali will have a better life if she remains in Manila because she grew up here and this is the only life she knows.

            They also claim that Mali will be sedated during her flight to BLES and this could kill her.

  But according to CITES regulations, elephants cannot be sedated during trips except in extreme circumstances to prevent injury to the animal or to the  people around her. Sedation is not advised because animals in a lethargic state may be more vulnerable to injury during the trip.

           In March 2011, US Association of Zoos and Aquariums set up standards for elephant management and care . By 2016, all zoos with elephants must keep a minimum of three female elephants. Zoos which do not follow this must transfer their elephants to other zoos.

          For elephants, their herd is everything. Females stay with their families for lifei and males stay until their early teens. They need to be in the company of elephants.

          In the Upper House, at least four legislators – Senators Miriam Defensor Santiago, Chiz Escudero, Manny Villar and Lito Lapid – have each filed resolutions to facilitate Mali’s transfer to BLES and assess the situation of animals in zoos and sanctuaries all over the country. Some of the resolutions are also asking for an assessment of animal welfare enforcement in the country.

TEACHING AN ELEPHANT TO TRAVEL

           For centuries, elephants have been flown from Africa and Asia to zoos all over the world. Circus elephants have travelled by train and truck from city to city. Long-distance travel for this giant creatures is never easy, specially if the destination is a place that is so different from their home environment. But through the years, elephant experts have developed a protocol to facilitate the transfer of elephants to faraway destinations and minimize their stress during the trip.

          According to PETA’s proposal for Mali’s transfer, several steps have to be taken to prepare her for the trip.

1

     Travel Training

         Mali must learn to allow veterinarians to take blood samples and care for her feet. This is important because early diagnosis of diseases can save an elephant’s life. The blood chemistry results are needed for the travel permits.

            A method called “protected contact” will allow a vet to get the samples

            Without using ropes, chains and bullhooks. These were used to train and

punish stubborn elephants before but are now unacceptable by today’s

standards. Only metal screens, bars and restraint chutes separate the animals from their handlers. Positive reinforcement has replaced punishment in elephant management.

To allow the application of “protected contact”, Mali’s enclosure at the Manila zoo will have to be modified. The daily training for Mali’s foot care  will take one to three weeks while training for blood work will need a few more months. Everything will depend on Mali’s cooperation.

2.     Travel Permits

Mali will also need a travel permits from the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). The export permit will come from the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB) which is the CITES authority in the Philippines. The CITES authority from Thailand will also have to issue an import permit and determine the appropriate quarantine procedures.

3.     Transport Crates

Elephants always travel in specially designed crates that have to be

Approved by and the International Air Transport Association. The crate will measure 7.5 ft x 12 ft x 18 ft on the outside and 6.5 ft x 10 ft x 17 ft on the inside. The team that will accompany Mali will have three feet of space from where they can monitor her during the flight. PETA will either borrow a crate from a cargo company or have one built for Mali. Training to enter the crate will take more or less a month.

A crane will lift the crate onto a flatbed truck for the trip to the airport.

4.     Travel Companions

PETA has arranged for an elephant expert to accompany Mali to BLES. This person will come months before the trip to help train Mali and bond with her. An expert in transporting elephants and one person from the Manila zoo will also be on Mali’s travel team.

An air logistics expert will be consulted to make minimize the stress for Mali.

5.     The Trip

From Manila Zoo, the trip to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport

will take about 30 minutes. Loading her onto the cargo plane via conveyor belt will take another hour. PETA will commission the truck and plane. Only a C-17 or a front-loading Boeing 747 can fly an elephant.

The trip to Sukhothai airport in Thailand will last four hours and the trip to BLES may take one to two hours. All in all, Mali will be traveling a total of 9.5 hours.

THE BOON LOTT ELEPHANT SANCTUARY  (BLES)

            BLES is a 400-acre land in Sukhothai, northern Thailand that is home to 14 elephants rescued from abusive owners and retired from heavy work like carrying logs.  It was set up in April 2006 by Katherine Connor, a former London-based retail manager who traveled to several countries in Asia and ended up falling in love with a baby elephant named Boon Lott. The baby elephant was prone to accidents and eventually died. But Katherine was marked for life. She raised money to buy land and set up a sanctuary, eventually marrying Anon, a mahout she had befriended while she was caring for Boon Lott at an elephant hospital.

            The sanctuary has banana plantations, grasslands, open fields, rivers and all types of fruit trees. The elephants there are not used for profit and never forced to perform. All they do everyday is play, roam, forage, swim and bond.

            Captive elephants often suffer from foot infections and arthritis due to the hard concrete surface of their living quarters in zoos. Their tails often get infected after repetitively hitting concrete walls and metal barriers.They need natural substrates and large areas so they can exercise and roam and bond. Elephants roam up to 50 kms a day.

            The BLES caretakers are confident that Mali will integrate well with the other resident Asian elephants. For the first six months, Mali will have 5 acres to herself while acclimatizing to her new home. She will have a huge bathing pond. Although the area will be fenced, she can already interact with the other elephants. They will wait till Mali is ready to join the herd. A webcam will be set up so Filipinos can watch Mali’s progress.

Filipinos can learn much more about elephants by observing Mali in her new home than watching her Mali in the artificial zoo environment.

           

Wildlife experts agree that elephants are extremely intelligent and curious animals with complex social lives. They think, decide and act, very much like people.

After spending 36 years of her life in Manila zoo, Mali may experience confusion and stress for the first few months. But the excitement of a new life, stimulation from her natural surroundings, the company of members of her kind as well the care she will getting from her caretakers will see her through this period.

=====================

SIDEBAR:

IDEAL TRANSPORT TIME

Securing Mali in the crate and loading onto truck –             1 hr

Ground transport from zoo to Manila airport –                   0.5 hr

Loading crate onto aircraft –                                             1 hr

Flight time from Manila to Sukhothai airport –                    4 hrs

Unloading from aircraft and customs clearance –               1.5 hrs

Transport to sanctuary –                                                   1 hr

Unloading from truck to sanctuary –                                  0.5 hr

Total –                                                                             9.5 hrs

SIDEBAR:

Zoos that have closed or are closing their elephant exhibits

All zoos in India

Alaska Zoo, US

Bristol Zoo, UK

Bronx Zoo, US

Chehaw Wild Animal Park, US

Detroit Zoo, US

Dudley Zoo, UK

Edinburgh Zoo, UK

Frank Buck Zoo, US

Gladys Porter Zoo, US

Greater Vancouver Zoo, Canada

Henry Vilas Zoo, US

Lincoln Park Zoo, US

Lion Country Safari, US

London Zoo, UK

Longleat Safari Park, UK

Louisiana Purchase Gardens and Zoo, US

Mesker Park Zoo, US

Philadelphia Zoo, US

Sacramento Zoo, US

San Francisco Zoo, US

Santa Barbara Zoo, US

===================

Published in ANIMALSCENE magazine April 2013

NEW HOPE FOR MALI, Manila Zoo's Lonely Elephant

ANIMAL SCENE MAGAZINE 

MARCH 2013

ANIMALSPEAK

NEW HOPE FOR MALI

                                    By Khrysta Imperial Rara

     
It’s women’s month, and while enlightened members of the female sex celebrate liberties and rights they have won over the last 100 years, a female elephant still awaits freedom from her concrete prison in Manila zoo.

Mali the elephant suffers from loneliness and cracks on her nails and feet pads, a condition that, in an advanced state, causes so much pain. Incurable foot infection is one of the main reasons that elephants are euthanized, wildlife veterinarian and elephant expert Dr. Henry Richardson said after he inspected Mali in May 2012.

           

Now 38, Mali has been living alone for more than 30 years. Experts say this is cruel since elephants are social animals.

Despite a presidential directive issued last May 2012 ordering Mali’s transfer to a sanctuary, zoo officials and Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim are resisting the move.

But hope looms in the horizon for Mali. The Philippine House Committee on Natural Resources last month approved on first reading a resolution to send Mali to an elephant sanctuary in Thailand where she will be cared for by experts.
“The entire room was packed with people showing support for Mali’s transfer.

Congresswoman Luzviminda C. Ilagan gave an impassioned speech, followed by a presentation from PETA on Mali’s welfare and the importance of the transfer. Of course Manila Zoo officials opposed the transfer, but they were questioned by members of the Committee who were appalled that so little has been done in the eight months since the Presidential directive was issued,” said Rochelle Regodon of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PeTA Asia).

The Animal Kingdom Foundation (AKF), the Philippine Foundation for Science and Technology, the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), Earth Island Institute (EII), Zen Cats, Mother Earth Foundation, and Compassion and Responsibility for Animals (CARA) have also manifested their support for Mali.

Three resolutions pertaining to Mali were actually filed in Congress. Resolution 2530, introduced by Congressman Anthony Rolando Golez, Jr. urged Manila Zoo, the Bureau of Animal Industry and the Committee on Animal Welfare, the Department of Agriculture to process the immediate transfer of Mali to a sanctuary. Resolution 2885, filed by Cong. Rufus Rodriguez and Cong. Maximo Rodriguez, Jr., went even further by urging all relevant agencies, including the City of Manila and the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB) of the DENR to facilitate Mali’s transfer to the Boon Lott’s Elephant sanctuary (BLES) in Thailand.

The last, Resolution 2937 filed by Cong. Luzviminda Ilagan and Cong. Emmi A. de Jesus, urged all these agencies as well as the Office of the President to send Mali to the BLES in Thailand.

“All three resolutions were discussed as one at congress, since all three called for the transfer of Mali,” Rochelle explained.

In the Upper House, Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago and Chiz Escudero are also pushing for the transfer.

More than 30 wildlife vets, elephant experts and advocacy groups from the Philippines and from all over the world have called for Mali’s transfer to BLES. Even Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) President and Archbishop of Cebu Jose Palma, D.D. expressed his “ardent wish” for a new life for Mali.

“Mali might have a few years to live but these remaining years will be more expressive of man’s compassion towards God’s other creatures,” he wrote in a statement.

The following are excerpts from letters and statements of support sent by the experts:

Dr. Jane Goodall, Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and United Nations’ Messenger of Peace:

“There is nothing more important to an elephant’s emotional and mental health than being with other elephants. Even if Mali were in a sound state physically, keeping her alone in a cramped, barren pen is still ethically indefensible.”

Dr. Marc Bekoff, Professor Emeritus of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Colorado, U.S.A.

“I am certain that if you had had the opportunity, as I have, to witness the emotional lives of wild elephants who are highly intelligent and social animals, you would take immediate action to end Mali’s suffering by transferring her to a sanctuary.”

Dr. Jan Schmidt-Burbach, World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) Asia-Pacific that has consultative status at the Council of Europe and special consultative status with the United Nations:

“Further evidence for the inadequate conditions at zoos for elephants is the high incidence of poor physical health among captive populations. For example, the non-yielding surface of concrete material, poor hygiene and limited ability to move cause frequent foot diseases, making up to 10% of all medical disorders of elephants. In other studies, 50% of assessed zoo elephants had a history of foot diseases or were acutely suffering from them. Keeping a single female elephant in limited space in inadequate captive conditions is also severely damaging to the animal’s mental health.”

Jurgen Schilfarth, Chairman of the European Elephant Group based in Germany:

“Every reputable zoo in the world that houses elephants has a foot care programme, and given how long scientists have known about the importance of this care, it is shocking that the Manila zoo has ignored Mali’s feet for 35 years.”

Julie Woodyer, Campaigns Director, Zoocheck Canada:

“Elephants in captivity need very large enclosures that give them a variety of different ground surfaces, including clean dirt, mulch, sand and probably most importantly, grassy areas and pasture as well as slopes, hills, gullies, scrub, and forest so that they can get enough exercise and mental stimulation. Mali’s enclosure is flat, barren, and made almost entirely of concrete.”

Professor Kendra Ryan, Chairman, International Veterinary Society and President, US Veterinary Education Association:

“The International Veterinary Society and the United States Veterinary Education Association stand ready to launch a social media campaign to advise all tourists from the European Union, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United States of America to boycott vacationing or conducting business in the Philippines, until Mali is transferred to the Thailand sanctuary. We ask that you inform the Manila Zoo that we stand ready to publish information that will directly impact the zoo’s revenue, as long as Mali is held in what we consider to be unacceptable housing facilities.”

Brigitte Bardot, President, Fondation Brigitte Bardot:

“President Benigno Simeon Aquino III seems to favor the transfer of Mali to the sanctuary proposed by PETA but the administration is not facilitating the rescue operation even if it is urgent for this elephant who deserves to live under dignified conditions, conditions that would respond to her needs.”

Otara Gunewardene, World Animal Day Ambassador for Sri Lanka:

“In nature, elephants live in extended family groups, which include all their female relatives, for their entire lives. Births in the herd are joyous occasions, deaths are grieved and youngsters are taught life skills by their elders. Study after study shows that captive elephants who are kept in groups exhibit less repetitive and stereotypical behavior, a sign that they are less stressed by their imprisonment. But Mali is housed completely alone, and in fact, she has not even seen another elephant in about 33 years.”

Claire Oldfather, Campaigns officer, OneKind :

“Elephants are amongst the most intelligent species of animals in the world. Science has revealed their brain structures to be extremely similar to that of humans in terms of complexity.”

Ravi Corea, President, Sri Lankan Wildlife Conservation Society:

“In the wild, elephants roam vast territories over a variety of substrates, but Mali has little room to walk in her concrete pen. This means that her cuticles have become overgrown and the pads of her feet have become cracked, which could lead to infection if they continue to be left untreated…I urge you to do everything in your influence to ensure that Mali is sent to this sanctuary where she can live out the rest of her life in an environment as close to nature as possible, all while being cared for by experts.”

Kate Townsend, Director, Fairly Wild:

“While England and America acknowledge that elephants are desperately unhappy in captivity and thus it is cruel to keep them in zoos, this is a good opportunity for the Philippines to lead the way for the East. At the moment you are getting bad publicity across the world for your treatment of Mali, and it has been a topic of discussion in South Africa for a while now. I urge you to make the right choice and release Mali to a sanctuary. People from so many countries are waiting to see how Mali’s situation is dealt with. Please make the right choice for Mali and become a leader in the East in terms of your treatment of animals.”

Shih, Chien-An, President, Life Conservationist Association:

“Elephants are highly intelligent and need to be in a social environment. They are the giants of the wild with the largest brain of any land creature. To force these animals for commercial use is inhumane. For this reason, many progressive countries and cities around the world have halted the exhibition of elephants in zoo.”

Tove Reece, Executive Director, Voice for Animals Humane Society, Edmonton:

“It is impossible to look at these solitary elephants and not see the loneliness in their eyes or feel their longing to be with others of their own kind.”

Soonrye Yim, Executive Director, Korea Animal Rights Advocates:

“We are deeply concerned that Mali the elephant has not been acknowledged as a sentient being and is still continuing her life in a brutal living environment.”

Fern Demeo, Elephant Project Coordinator of Animal Aid Abroad, WA:

“As a long-term volunteer at various elephant sanctuaries in Thailand, I have witnessed first-hand the long-standing ill-effects of elephants who have been cruelly kept in captivity. Similarly, I have also witnessed how these elephants’ mental and physical wellbeing improves greatly once they are transferred to these sanctuaries. As an endangered species listed in Appendix 1 of CITES, it is vital that we protect the Asian elephant to ensure that they are not only well cared for, but are also protected in order to ensure continuity of the species.”

Debra Probert, Exec Director, Vancouver Humane Society:

“In 2004, the Vancouver Humane Society was involved in assisting to move a lone elephant named Tina who was kept in a local zoo for 31 years. She was suffering from loneliness, depression, stereotypic behavior such as head-swaying, and infected feet from lack of exercise and an appropriate substrate. Tina went to a sanctuary in the U.S. where she was able to live out the rest of her life with other female elephants in a 2700-acre refuge. It was wonderful to see her bathing in the river, roaming free and communicating with her own kind.

I urge you to do whatever is within your power to expedite the transfer of Mali to a sanctuary where she will be able to experience life as it should be. We in Canada will be waiting to hear that you have chosen to do the right thing.”

 (END OF MARCH ) COLUMN

Wish for Mali, the Lonely Elephant

Here's my column article on Mali for the February 2013 issue. 

Parts 2 and 3 are in the March and April issues of ANIMAL SCENE magazine. 

Click to enlarge

(CLICK TO ENLARGE)

ANIMALSPEAK: A VALENTINE WISH FOR MALI

By Khrysta Imperial Rara



For this month of hearts, my heart goes to Mali.

Vishwamali is a 38-year old female Asian elephant living at the Manila Zoo. Nicknamed Mali, this good-natured giant has been the subject of controversy for the past several months, hogging headlines and meriting front page photos in the major dailies, online news sites and magazines. She is also at the center of a tug of war between zoo officials and the international animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PeTA).

The controversy began when PeTA revealed that Mali, the lone elephant and star attraction at the zoo, is suffering from foot problems that pose a serious threat to her health. She is also leading a very lonely and miserable life which is tantamount to cruelty, the group said, since elephants are extremely social creatures. According to PETA, zoo officials have neglected Mali.

Curious about this creature that has elicited so much media coverage, I visited her last December 31. What I saw has prompted me to wish for her transfer to an elephant sanctuary where she can, for the first time in more than 30 years, enjoy and bond with her own kind and where elephant experts can care for her.

On that day, Mali was up and about, eating hay in front of 20 or more people. Her enclosure was surrounded by a dry moat and Mali would often stand by the edge of the moat and swing her trunk to and fro, giving the impression that she wanted to jump over to the side of the spectators.

“Mali’s concrete enclosure provides her with little stimulation. Zoos workers have taught Mali that visitors can be a source of food because they encourage hand-feeding which is dangerous and strictly forbidden at most zoos. It’s likely that Mali was hoping to get treats from the people across the moat,” said PeTA Asia’s Rochelle Regodon when I asked her about this.

Mali also kept on putting one foot up alternatively. I knew from the press coverage that she had foot problems, but I didn’t think it would so bad that she would stand on three legs for several minutes at a time. Officials have admitted that there is no elephant expert at the zoo and Mali has never been subjected to any veterinary check up in more than 30 years.

“The lack of a preventive foot care program is putting Mali in jeopardy of severe foot disease with accompanying pain and suffering. Under the current management, Mali’s health remains at risk, until she is trained using ‘protected contact’ methods to allow proper care of her feet,” wrote wildlife veterinarian Dr. Henry Melvyn Richrdson who has been providing care for captive wildlife, including elephants, for more than 40 years.

In addition, Dr. Richardson observed “several days’ accumulation of feces and urine” in Mali’s night quarters and “little shade in her entire enclosure” to protect her from the sun.

Dr. Richardson visited Mali on May 29, 2012 and his subsequent report is filled with concern for Mali’s physical and mental health under the present conditions at the zoo.

According to him, arthritis and incurable foot infection are the main reasons why elephants are euthanized.

“Mali has cracked nails, overgrown cuticles, smooth pads and cracks on her pads. All of these are a direct result of living on hard concrete instead of the dirt, sand, grass, rivers and ponds of her natural habitat. These cuticles will harbor bacteria and set up the potential for abscesses. Her cracked nails and pads can allow bacteria to enter the sensitive connective tissues of her feet and are known to lead to infections of the bones of the toes,” he said.

“This is all the more significant considering the accumulation of feces and urine in her night stall,” he warned.

“Training for blood work is occurring, but this training is being done incorrectly, and Mali’s painful foot condition is still being ignored. Mali's feet are causing her pain right now,” Rochelle explained.

As to her mental and emotional health, I’m no expert but most visitors at the time immediately saw that Mali is indeed very lonely. Even the international Association of Zoos and Aquariums has ruled that female elephants must never be housed alone.

“My major concern is that Mali is alone,” Dr. Richardson disclosed.

Visitors to the zoo have also noticed Mali’s loneliness.

“She’s sick, you know. Just look at her skin,” said a 12-year old boy standing beside me.

“I really pity her,” said a young girl. “She’s very sad. She’s all alone because her parents died and she’s an orphan.”

Another woman suddenly turned to me and to my surprise, asked: “Why don’t officials send the poor elephant to a sanctuary?”

There were many comments and all of them sympathized with Mali. It seems many Filipinos are now familiar with the situation of Mali, thanks to frequent press coverage. Most visitors commented on the elephant’s solitary situation and the fact that she should be with her family and other elephants.

Obviously bored, Mali walked to a small concrete pool in her harsh concrete enclosure. Then she walked over to a gate and grabbed two concrete rocks with her trunk. She put the first one in her mouth and began chewing it. She held the second with her trunk and banged it against the gate and walls of her enclosure. A caretaker then came and hosed her and the rock came tumbling out when she opened her mouth to gulp in water.

Another man entered the enclosure and tried to get the second rock from Mali’s trunk. At first, she wouldn’t give it but later, she dropped it. The first man then hosed her again and I noticed that it wasn’t done lovingly or patiently. Mali must have felt it too because she then chased the man who sought protection from a concrete barrier. The caretaker was obviously afraid of Mali.

“Let’s get away from here,” a male visitor told his young child. “That elephant throws rocks at people. She’s done it before. We might get hurt.”

“This is another sad example of how Mali is denied of natural behaviors. In the wild, elephants use rocks for scratching and to plug water holes so they can access the water source later on,” Rochelle stated.

Another thing that bothered me and the other visitors was the fact that Mali kept on rubbing her trunk and front feet against a pointed steel bar protruding from broken concrete block on the wall of moat. I was afraid she’d hurt herself.

“That’s a valid concern. Mali’s trunk was actually cut in September last year. Given the dilapidated state of her enclosure, future injuries are a very real risk,” Rochelle quipped.

Even President Benigno Aquino has ordered zoo officials to evaluate Mali’s situation and transfer her to a sanctuary. “We wish to inform you that we already directed the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Bureau of Animal Industries (BAI) to determine the condition of Mali and facilitate her transfer to a sanctuary upon completion of their study and evaluation on the matter,” wrote Executive Secretary Paquito N Ochoa, Jr., in his directive dated 15 May 2012.

According to PeTA, the sanctuary that has accepted Mali in Thailand is for Asian elephants. Eleven former captive and working elephants have been rehabilitated there and are now enjoying a wonderful life at the sanctuary. The sanctuary founders and staff are confident that Mali will fit in well with their herd.

Although city officials have mulled over the possibility of asking another elephant from Sri Lanka, PeTa has assured the public that “the government of Sri Lanka …will not transfer an elephant to the Manila Zoo” since the zoo lacks the resources to adequately care for one elephant. “It would be cruel to subject another elephant to this environment,” Rochelle clarified.

“The Manila Zoo veterinarians have stated that they are not elephant experts and that Mali has only been treated with topical betadine for superficial wounds and laxatives in the entire time she has been at the zoo. They have never performed a proper physical exam. They have never performed blood work,” Rochelle stated in no uncertain terms. “This is neglect.”

Because elephants do not thrive in captivity, eighteen zoos all over the world have closed down or plan to close down their elephant exhibits. Fourteen elephants from eleven zoos, among them the Detroit Zoo, the Greater Vancouver zoo and the San Francisco zoo, have now been transferred to two elephant sanctuaries in the United States where they are currently living the way elephants are meant to live.

PETA’s campaign to send Mali to a sanctuary has caught the attention of wildlife institutions and experts all over the world. More than 30 have written Philippine officials about their concern. At least 50,000 people from all over the world have signed the online campaign for Mali. Read more about it in my column next month.

(END OF COLUMN FOR FEBRUARY)

                                 

Fate of the Solomon Island Dolphins

JANUARY 2013

ANIMALSPEAK:  

On Dolphins and Philippine Courts

                                    

By Khrysta Imperial Rara

Another year has begun but the issue of captive dolphins remains unresolved. There has been a paradigm shift in public opinion all over the world for the past several years but Philippine courts and government officials have yet to see the light. I wonder what it will take to make them realize that their actions – or inaction – are causing much damage to the marine environment as well as to their image among the Filipino public and the rest of the world.

A judge’s misguided judgement has already caused the death of a dolphin named Wen Wen en route to Singapore. Animal welfare activists in Asia manifested their protest against this gross injustice by holding candlelight vigils and memorial services simultaneously in Manila, Jakarta, Thailand and Singapore last December 2.

In Manila, the service was held at the Philippine Animal Welfare Society’s (PAWS) Animal Rehabilitation Center at the corner of Aurora Boulevard and Katipunan Avenue. The atmosphere was loaded with sadness while the flickering flames of the candles of participants illuminated their gloomy faces.

Frustrated by the obvious indifference and ridiculous ruling of the QC Regional Trial Court (QC RTC), an activist became emotional as she spoke of the need to never forget Wen Wen and what he stood for.

I had never seen anything like it. I had never imagined I would one day be attending a memorial service for a dolphin. PAWS even erected a memorial tile with the inscription: “Rest in Peace, Wen Wen. Swim freely across the Rainbow Bridge.”

But then 10-year old Wen-Wen was – or is – special. He was born in the wild and lived his first six years in absolute liberty, swimming 25 miles a day, breaching, chasing fish and cavorting with other members of his pod as all dolphins are meant to. Then human greed caught up with him and he suddenly found himself  a captive in pools and tanks filled with chlorinated water.

He was trained to play with hoops and balls, objects which he would never have encountered in the wild. He was fed dead fish and made to earn his keep by performing for boisterous children and ignorant adults. He was a prisoner though he had not committed any crime. But the shape of his face and head made people believe he was always smiling and happy.

The “dolphin smile” is the world’s greatest deception, as environmentalist Ric O’Barry always says.

Wen-Wen died on a plane last November 22 while being transported to Singapore where he was to be one of 25 dolphins slated to perform for the holidays at Resorts World Sentosa (RWS).

It was a sad and unjust death for a highly intelligent being and a tragic loss for his already depleted species.

DOLPHINS IN THE SOLOMON ISLANDS

But let’s backtrack a little bit. You may ask why a small bunch of activists and environmentalists is making all this fuss about Wen Wen and his kind.

The 25 wild-caught Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus) flown to Singapore last November were taken from the Guadalcanal area in the Solomon Islands. RWS brought them to Ocean Adventure Park in Subic in three batches in 2008, 2009 and 2011. They were to be trained and prepared for their eventual fate as animal entertainers.

But scientific reports from the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) revealed that the dolphin population in the Solomon Islands (SI) is severely at risk and their harvest or extraction would further endanger the survival of the species.

According to the IUCN "Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphin Assessment Workshop Report”, there are now less than 5,000 individuals in the Solomon Islands.

The SI government banned all dolphin hunts in their territorial waters starting January 2012. In addition, the law now stipulates that only one dolphin can be captured every five years.

The captures, mostly by an American company, had been done despite the international restrictions and recommendations.

The 24 dolphins now in Singapore are the survivors of a long and cruel journey. They were originally 27 –- before Wen-Wen, two died in their original destination, Langkawi, Malaysia. 

Earth Island Institute (EII), which monitors the welfare of captive marine mammals all over the world, and local animal welfare groups tried to block the entry of the Solomon dolphins in the Philippines, citing the IUCN report and the Philippine Wildlife Act (RA 9147).

But the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) of the Department of Agriculture would have none of it.

Philippine Courts and Philippine Laws

While the SI dolphins were still in Subic, the environmental and animal welfare groups continued to ask BFAR officials not to re-export the dolphins to Singapore. If the dolphins were to go anywhere, the groups wanted it to be the Solomon Islands.

When their pleas fell on deaf ears at the BFAR, they tried the courts. They had high hopes at first because Section 6 of RA 9147 states that "all activities…shall be authorized by the Secretary upon proper evaluation of best available information or scientific data showing that the activity is, or for a purpose, not detrimental to the survival of the species or subspecies involved and/or their habitat".

Trixie Concepcion, EII’s Regional Director for Asia, said the DA and BFAR violated RA 9147 when they allowed the dolphins to enter the Philippines despite recommendations to the contrary of the Convention on the International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES) and internationally recognized scientific bodies like Silliman University and the National Museum.

EII, PAWS, CARA (Compassion and Responsibility for Animals) and concerned individuals then filed a petition to prevent the issuance of a re-export permit for the 25 dolphins. About an hour later, the office of the First Vice Executive Judge of the QC Regional Trial Court issued a 72-hour Temporary Environmental Protection Order (TEPO).

The Philippine Department of Agriculture (DA), the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and Resorts World Sentosa in Singapore were respondents in the case.

Lawyer Mel Velasco said this case is a first in Philippine legal history. "We are charting unknown waters. We saw a loophole — the rule of using precautionary measures when there is conflict between authorities and they (the government) didn't follow that," he said.

The Precautionary Principle in Environmental Law is cited in the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) which the Philippines ratified in August 1981.

CITES is an international agreement that regulates trade in wild animals and plants and protects all species. According to CITES, authorities should consider the best interest of the conservation of species in any undertaking.

"BFAR violated certain rules. Precautionary measures should have been observed before they issued the permit to import the dolphins," Velasco said.

 “In light of the CITES provisions, any import of sea mammals should have the green light of internationally recognized scientific bodies. In the Philippines, National Museum and Silliman University are recognized as the CITES marine mammal experts," he clarified. "BFAR ignored the recommendations of National Museum and Silliman University.”

  

“Dolphins Are Pets”

But after 72 hours, Judge Evangeline Castillo- Marigomen of QC RTC Branch 101 ruled against any extension of the TEPO, saying the government agencies had not violated the law and the dolphins are like pets that belonged to RWS anyway.

"We were shocked and aghast when the judge likened the Solomon Island dolphins to 'pets'. She even asked us if we have been to SeaWorld where she said the dolphins are well cared for," Concepcion said.

In effect, this ruling allowed RWS to fly the dolphins to Singapore.

"This is tantamount to saying that it is all right to capture, train and use wild dolphins for dolphin shows even if this will threaten their survival in the wild," Concepcion quipped.

She added that “dolphins must never be mistaken as pets because they are wild animals”. To illustrate her point, she cited the case of two animal trainers and one intruder who died at SeaWorld after one of the resident killer whales, Tillicum, dragged them into the water and drowned them.

EII, PAWS, CARA Welfare Philippines, and 10 environmental and animal welfare advocates filed another petition, saying the re-export of the dolphins would violate both the CITES treaty and the country's Wildlife Act.

Concepcion called on the public to closely monitor the government's actions when it comes to environmental issues.

"We are doing this because if we don't do anything, it will institutionalize the government's failure to abide by its commitment to CITES, to protect all species and not just the dolphins," she stressed.

ACRES

Singapore-based ACRES launched in 2011 the campaign to 'Save the World's Saddest Dolphins' to pressure both governments to return all the Solomon Islands dolphins to their natural habitat. . The campaign’s online petition has so far generated over 680,000 signatures from all over the world.

Last December 7, representatives of ACRES went to see the dolphins. “We regret that the dolphins are being housed in appalling conditions; in tiny barren swimming pools,” ACRES Chief  Executive Louis Ng said in a statement.

ACRES has issued a final ultimatum:  RWS must work with ACRES and Earth Island Institute for the rehabilitation and release of the dolphins back into the wild, or the group will launch a “full-fledged boycott against not just Resorts World, but all Genting properties.”

ACRES urged RWS to review the facts and reconsider their decision to keep the Solomon dolphins. “We hope that we won’t need to launch a boycott, but we are ready to do so if needed and we are confident that members of the public will support this,” Ng said.

With the Philippine court’s failure to act on a matter of environmental conservation, the animal welfare groups are confident that the Filipino people, like the Singaporeans, will eventually be able to pressure both governments to fly the dolphins back to the Solomons.

The ball now lies in the court of public opinion.

ALL THEY WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS A HOME

CLICK TO ENLARGE

           

The pitbulls rescued from Laguna made it to the cover of ANIMALSCENE magazine, December 2012 issue. Hope you enjoy reading this.
 

                        ALL THEY WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS A HOME

                                                By Khrysta Imperial Rara

The pit bull curled up on his side, his face hidden from prying eyes. “Aero,” I called out softly. “How are you, Aero?”

He remained in his position, immobile. Was he feigning sleep or have years of violence and abuse rendered him indifferent to a friendly gesture? His cage was at the far end of the row with nothing but vegetation behind it. I figured most visitors would probably not go all the way there.

I straightened up and took a step backward. Just as I was leaving, I sensed an almost imperceptible twitch of his ear.

“Aero,” I whispered. “I just want to be your friend.”

His ear cocked then he turned around and looked at me. For several seconds, our eyes were locked in silent communication, his cage and his cruel past serving as barriers to an otherwise immediate bonding moment.

He had a big frame but his body thinned out toward his rear. His fur, mostly white, had brown patches on the back and the legs. The most prominent patch circled his left eye, stretching all the way to his left ear.

After some coaxing, he moved toward me but stopped midway. For some reason, I was drawn to his eyes. They were the most melancholy pair I had ever seen at the sanctuary. Brown and glum, they drew me in like whirlpools of dejection. My tears suddenly flowed and I found myself sobbing uncontrollably.

I guess Aero’s eyes disclosed it all – the loneliness, the search for love and acceptance and yet the unwillingness to entrust his heart to a stranger who will stay but a few minutes.

I had just visited about a hundred dogs and spent three to seven minutes with each of them. According to my calculations, I could only stay three minutes with each of the 170 dogs at the Pit Bull Rehabilitation Center in Batangas if I wanted to interact with each one.

It was my second visit to the sanctuary and this time, I was dead set on meeting all the dogs. During my first visit in June, I left the center with a tinge of sadness as I was able to meet only 90 dogs.

A friendly stroke, a few words of reassurance, an eager lick, barks that demand attention, a photo here and there – what else could the dogs and I do in three minutes?

Familiar and unfamiliar names and faces greeted me. There was Dolphy, now named Afro, who was in sick bay. He bit his aluminum dish and threw it in the air like he always does when someone is watching him. But he was much healthier when he was still named Dolphy.

There was gentle Alfonso, a very huggable dog who is one of those up for adoption. There was Athena who called out to me and wouldn’t stop licking my hand. How could I not notice Benjo whose balls shook in sync with the wagging of his tail? And Medusa, whose mesmerizing eyes practically begged for a change of name!

I met Lucio, a demanding black pittie with white paws, who wouldn’t let me leave. Every time I turned to go, he would jump up and bark hysterically. Talk about separation anxiety!  A gentle licker, he turned quiet and attentive when I stroked him. To humor him a bit, I stuck around for 3 minutes more, using the time to delete old photos from my camera’s memory card. But Lucio would have none of that. As soon as I shifted my attention away from him, he peed on his water dish!

All the interactions were funny, endearing and pleasant. So nothing prepared me for Aero.

ONCE BETRAYED, NOW READY FOR A HOME

“Aero must have been someone’s pet once,” Nancy Cu-Unjieng, President of the animal welfare group Care and Responsibility for Animals (CARA), told me. “He has very refined manners. He eats the treats gently and not like the others who just gulp them down.”

Nancy and fellow CARA officer Kaoru Cumagun had arrived just in time to witness my embarrassing outburst. We watched as Aero relished the bacon treats, held them with both paws and gently chewed them.

Aero is one of the pit bulls rescued in March from a farm in Laguna where they were used in illegal dog fights streamed online by a group of South Koreans based in the Philippines.

Out of the 230 dogs turned over to the CARA, only 170 have survived. When first found, the dogs had ripped ears, torn tongues and maggot-infested wounds. They lived in rusty steel drums with gaping holes that gave them no protection from sun and rain. Heavy steel chains nailed three feet to the ground prevented their escape. Many were too sick and in pain and had to be euthanized. Others later succumbed to illnesses resulting from poor diet, forced mating, lack of veterinary care and constant exposure to the elements.

Breed experts have assessed and rehabilitated the pit bulls and several are now up for adoption.

We have not adopted any out as of now. We have several who are ready to be adopted and a few potential adopters who have begun the adoption process,” says CARA member Maria Parsons who visits the site twice a week. “As of now, three people are interested in adopting.”

Maria admits she has grown fond of the dogs. “I have several that I plan to adopt... I have been close to them since San Pablo, and I have bonded with them,” she confides.

Nancy is hoping for a lot of adoptions before the end of the year. “We will try to get some organizations internationally to adopt some of the pit bulls. We have some positive advice concerning this,” she confides.

She says that out of the 170 dogs, only five are aggressive. “I am attached to the dogs that are harder to handle. They will take longer to rehabilitate so you could refer to them as the underdogs. When we first relocated to Batangas, they were not approachable. Now they all wag their tails and have gotten friendlier. It’s a good sign,” she quips.

“The pit bulls are a joy to be with in spite of all the misconceptions about the breed. They are truly lovable dogs.”

To make sure the rescued dogs will be cared for, people who wish to adopt a pit bull have to visit the site more than once to bond with the dog of their choice. CARA will also conduct follow-up home visits to check on the dogs and their new families.

SPECIAL DOGS

Freelance writer Owen Santos has her sights set on Ruby. Owen has a cat at home, and she intends to bring her feline friend to the center to see how they will react to each other. If they get along, then Ruby gets a permanent home.

“I hope to get the dog as soon as we’re bonded. I need to run and walk with a dog but I need a low level dog for my cat,” she says.

Volunteers like Owen have many stories to tell about their “special dog”. Melody de Jesus recounts how she was challenged to win over a shy young canine named Tinkerbell.

“Every time she sees someone approaching her cage, she becomes very nervous and would just go to the farthest side and look away. One day I brought a toy for her and her eyes lit up. She slowly approached me and started smelling my fingers. That same day, I was able to bring her out, walk her and give her a bath,” Melody recalls.

“Every time I visit the center, I visit her cage, touch her and try to bring her out…To date, she is getting more sociable with other people, wagging her tail and giving everyone a happy face.”

Melody also talks fondly of Mona, a sweet and gentle blue fawn pit bull whom everybody adores. She saw Mona while the dog was being spayed last October.  Melody visited Mona at the veterinary clinic when she developed complications and had to be operated on four times.

In order for Mona to get her much-needed rest, she was fostered by CARA volunteers Louise and Carl Pike for 5 days. She had her own room, a queen-sized bed, her own backyard, an electric fan and lots of food and love. But now, she is back at the sanctuary.

 “Mona is a sweet and gentle soul. Out of all the dogs at the sanctuary, I immensely enjoy taking her out for a stroll every time I visit because she is such a pleasure to go on walks with. She is the ultimate companion. She would never tug too hard or pull me to another direction even if her strength and weight could actually take me down at any moment,” Louise Pike avers.

“I would have loved for her to stay longer, and I would have wanted to adopt her. However, she was often stressed out by my other pets,” she said ruefully.

IMMEDIATE FUTURE

Although CARA members and volunteers are optimistic that most, if not all, the rescued dogs will eventually find permanent homes, the reality is that this could take some time. Meanwhile, life for these dogs must go on at the center, where the monthly budget for their upkeep comes close to US 5000 dollars.

“Now we face the problem of finding regular funding for the caretakers' salaries, the utilities, dog food and medical care for the dogs. The lengthy rehabilitation process is the biggest concern at present. The health of the dogs has improved a lot, but there are still many who have health issues that need to be addressed,” Nancy states.

The center relies solely on donations. Nancy revealed that at present, two American ladies and two local groups have expressed interest in donating funds to the pit bulls. “Now it is a matter of waiting for the funds to arrive,” she says.

The Center has become a hub of sorts for people who love pit bulls and those who want to help them. “We are always holding activities at the center, weekly volunteer orientations and open houses,” Maria said.

For this yuletide season, CARA members would like to cheer up the dogs.  “We may have a Christmas party for the pit bulls, caretakers, volunteers and staff. Possibly pot luck, as we are always lacking in funds,” Nancy said.

Despite the lack of funds, CARA makes sure the dogs have the food and medical attention they need. But perhaps the best Christmas gifts they could receive are permanent homes.

Louise summed it up best: “My only wish would be for each of them to belong to loving homes and experience family life as soon as possible. Like all of us, they just want to be loved.”

Aero is no exception. For Aero and the rest of the pit bulls, only a forever home with kind people can erase the trauma of a violent past and usher in a new life of freedom and love.

CLICK TO ENLARGE

For more information, check out http://www.caraphil.org.

For inquiries regarding adoptions, write to adopt.a.lpb@gmail.com.

For inquiries regarding volunteering, write to volunteeratlpb@gmail.com.

Send all other inquiries to: lagunapitbulls@gmail.com

 _________________________________________________________

Published in Animal Scene Magazine, December 2012