AR-News: (Thailand) Zoo protest over Thai elephants

[Animalara2003 at aol.com]

Published on Mar 22, 2004 

SYDNEY - Animal rights activists - wearing striped prison outfits and 
elephant masks, with signs reading "Taronga Zoo, Australian Shame" - protested in 
front of a Sydney zoo yesterday against the planned import of elephants from 
Thailand. 
A statement distributed by Animal Liberation (NSW), the Greens political 
party and World League for the Protection of Animals claimed that state and 
federal governments have spent over A$40 million (Bt1.2 billion) to purchase, 
transport and house six baby elephants from the Thai government in exchange for 
native Australian wildlife. 
The elephants will be housed at Taronga Zoo in Sydney and Melbourne Zoo. 
The activists claim the elephants were tortured and beaten in Thailand, and 
will face a lonely life in Australia away from their natural habitat and 
families. 
"Even if Taronga Zoo gave up all its land to those elephants, it still 
wouldn't be able to meet their behavioural needs," said Siobhan O'Sullivan, Animal 
Liberation's campaign coordinator.



full story:

http://nationmultimedia.com/page.news.php3?clid=4&id=110457&usrsess=1 
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