AR-News: (AU) Protesters take aim at zoo's 'tortured' elephant imports

[Animalara2003 at aol.com]

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/03/21/1079823222357.html 

By Clarissa Bye
March 21, 2004
The Sun-Herald



Taronga Zoo has run into a storm of controversy over its plan to import nine 
elephants from Thailand, with a protest being planned for today.
Animal rights groups have joined forces to stage a demonstration in front of 
the zoo, arguing the animals have already been subjected to unnecessary 
cruelty and "broken in" with beatings and torture before arriving in Australia.
Raymond Shelley, the man who trained one of the zoo's current female Asian 
elephants, Burma, said the zoo shouldn't import more elephants.
Mr Shelley, who worked for Bullen Brothers from 1961 to 1964, helped keep and 
train Burma during the initial stages of her circus life.
He said he was shocked by the "unnecessary cruelty" of a sharp hook used on 
Burma's vulnerable spots to make her move in a particular direction.
"I have nothing against elephants being in a zoo, so long as we come to terms 
in a completely honest way that their needs are met - elephants need lots of 
space," Mr Shelley said. 
"The entire space of Taronga Zoo itself is not large enough for two 
elephants." 
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