The following article on the shipment of elephants from Thailand to Australia presents a good opportunity for letters to the editor. The Herald Sun take letters at
http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/feedback/dhs-testletters.html
A good source of information on Thai elephants is http://www.elephant.or.th/eng/
Herald Sun (Australia)
June 5, 2006 Monday
NEWS; Pg. 15
Thai elephants are on the move today
Eight Asian elephants will leave Thailand for Australian zoos today, despite protests from animal rights groups who fear they will suffer in their new homes.
An Australian court in December cleared the way for the move to Melbourne and Sydney, provided the zoos met conditions guaranteeing the elephants' welfare.
Melbourne and Sydney zoos have spent $40 million installing or upgrading enclosures.
But the measures didn't go far enough for Thai and Australian groups who have fought the transfer for months.
The elephants have been kept in quarantine in Thailand for 1 1/2 years.
The groups say moving the animals to zoos would be detrimental to their wellbeing.
''I'm opposed to this export and feel very sad with what the Thai authorities are doing,'' said Soraida Salwala, founder of the Friends of the Asian Elephant.
''Elephants are a Thai national symbol. It's not in their behaviour to be away from their herd. I don't want them to be in an enclosure like in prison.''
A Thai official confirmed the animals were to be brought to Bangkok today and put on a plane to Australia this evening.
Australian Environment Minister Ian Campbell said the breeding program would help ensure the survival of the species.
Senator Campbell has said with fewer than 50,000 Asian elephants remaining in the wild, ''every attempt must be made to ensure the survival of the species, including through captive breeding programs''.
The dispute over the elephants was the latest involving Thai efforts to export or import wildlife.
A plan to bring in 175 animals from Kenya to Thailand's Chiang Mai Night Safari Zoo was blocked by a Kenyan court in December after anger from conservationists.
(END OF HERALD SUN ARTICLE)
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Date: Mon Jun 5 14:30:27 2006
