If you know me at all you should know that I have an everlasting love for Elephants. I do not remember when I decided to love Elephants or why they would be my favorite animal, ever. I just know that in my heart I love them and I only want is best for them.
Let me say that I'm not the biggest fan of Peta, I think that they can do great things and open peoples eyes to how badly animals are being treated in situations. I do think they go over bored on A LOT of things (um, like killing an innocent fly). They have though, in a positive way, opened my eyes to how badly places treat Elephants. Zoos and circus a like lock these huge animals in cages WAY to small for their needs, most places don't offer running water, friends for them to socialize with (Elephants are some of the most social animals around), and not enough room for them to rome around like they like to do (most Elephants, free ones, walk up to 10 miles a day) causing them to get arthritis in their legs and this causes a premature death.
Lucky in the Elephant that lives at the SA Zoo. She has been in the SA Zoo since she was 4 years old, she was caught while with her mother and put promptly back into captivity. She did have two other Elephants living with her but both have passed away (supposedly from old age for one - died at 50 but Elephants in the wild live to be past 60 and the other they will not release cause of death). the SA Zoo has been rated (by agencies) as the worst zoo in the country due to small, concrete living areas, no fresh water, not enough room to walk around, and less then 3 Elephants. It's not a good situation to be living in for Lucky, I know if I was put in these same conditions I would be miserable all the time. I can't imagine that just because Lucky is an Elephant that she isn't sad, she just doesn't have a voice to state it out loud.
On a happy note, there are two Elephant Sanctuaries in the United States that take circus and zoo Elephants, bring them to their land and let them be free. They are give as close to a "normal" life as they can have... fresh running water, miles and miles for them to walk around, many friends to make a heard with. The sanctuary in Tennessee has offered to take Lucky, bring here to their sanctuary and let her live the rest of her life as she should as NO PRICE to the SA Zoo or the tax payers. They are going to pay for EVERYTHING! The SA Zoo won't let Lucky go, they won't even listen to anyone or have any part of her leaving. They say that they are going to start to redo her part of the zoo in stage 3 of the Africa Live exhibit. Even if they do "redo" her living space they still won't have the room for her to be free like she should, they also want to bring in 2 more Elephants so she can have friends. I'm not sure why they think this will solve the problem, it will only take away from the already to small of exhibit that is there. It's pretty sad when people mistreat animals and even worse when they can fix the problem and choose not too.
The SA Zoo isn't the only one around that has Elephants in bad living conditions but this is the one that is the closest to me. I truly believe that Elephants shouldn't be in Zoos at all, they should be free and living life to the fullest. I know zoos can be a great thing. It teaches kids and adults about things that many would never get to see if it wasn't for the zoo but they need to make sure they are providing this great service not at the expense of an animal. They need to research into giving them the best life they can and this isn't for just zoo's but anywhere that has animals in captivity.
I know this is a crazy rant but before my eyes were opened to it, I didn't realize everything and I really just want people to be aware. I want people to see that these places that are supposed to be taking care of animals are sometimes (not always, I've been to some amazing zoo's who take great care of their animals) not doing the job that they should and people need to speak up about it.
There is a petition going around, that if you would please sign that would be great, to try to help get Lucky to the sanctuary in Tennessee. It's a big deal and I'm afraid that if she is left here much longer, she is going to pass away... sooner then she should if she would have been left in the wild, where she belongs.
If you want some more information on Lucky I've included a link that you can go too (click on Luck's name). Also included are some pictures for the "Free Lucky Rally" that I went to this past weekend with my friend Louise. It was nice, no one yelled at anyone, it really it just to bring awareness and to give Lucky a chance at some freedom. Thanks for reading this today and understanding it holds a very special place in my heart!
Love,
KJ
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