TULI ELEPHANTS – UPDATE The National Council of SPCAs is sad to report a further tragedy relating to the “Tuli elephants”. We remain gravely concerned regarding the welfare of elephant Csami who is currently in captivity in France. Two of the “Tuli elephants” were removed from the property of Riccardo Ghiazza’s African Game Services in late 1998 and exported to Erfort Zoo in Germany. The NSPCA opposed the export of these animals to European zoos at the time but sadly, without success. We were right in both moral and welfare terms. The concerns were genuine and the welfare of these elephants was severely compromised. Csami and Seronga, as they were named, were subsequently moved from Erfort Zoo to Southern France in December 2013. The German-based Pro-Wildlife group advised the NSPCA that “they had become too old for breeding. Erfort Zoo never had a bull elephant nor intended to have one, so how could they seriously have tried to breed?” Seronga broke down shortly after her arrival in France, and died. The reason given was encephalomycarditis, a viral infection which affects the lungs. Csami is now living in the French zoo: - Réserve Africaine de Sigean, with two young cows and a bull. This raises so many questions to which we have no answers but confirm with conviction that the Tuli elephants were exploited for profit. This tragedy seemingly has no end. The NSPCA tried tirelessly to prevent this. Yet by the time the NSPCA’s application to seize the elephants on Riccardo Ghiazza’s property was confirmed in December 1998 , 7 of the elephants had already been sold and exported to zoos in Europe. This, despite our best efforts to prevent any elephant leaving that property. The NSPCA was prevented by a Court interdict from showing/broadcasting footage of what was happening on the property of African Game Services. It was only in May 1999 when MNET’s actuality programme CARTE BLANCHE showed footage that there was an overwhelming public reaction and outcry. It was only in February 2001 that the accused appeared in Court for the first time to answer criminal charges. Csami and Seronga were in European zoos. Our stance is proven over and over not only in the Tuli case, where wild elephants were transported to zoos, but also in the case of elephant back safaris. Recent footage has been broadcast of the training of elephants at Elephants of Eden in the Eastern Cape – supposedly a sanctuary. Elephants of Eden was owned by the Knysna Elephant Park, in the Western Cape who utilise these gentle giants for elephant back riding. WILD ANIMALS BELONG IN THE WILD REMINDER - BACKGROUND July 1998 – 30 young elephants were captured in Botswana’s Tuli game reserve, removed from their herds and taken to African Game Services near Brits which was owned by Riccardo Ghiazza and is situated in the North West Province of South Africa. FATES 7 exported to zoos in Germany and Switzerland 9 released from NSPCA custody and transferred to Sandhurst Safaris 5 subsequently recaptured and taken to the facility of the Elephant Sanctuary 14 purchased and released into Marakele National Park – permanent release into the wild.
Posted on: Sat, 19 Jul 2014 07:20:00 +0000
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