Auckland Zoo elephant herd now in the works

I can`t believe this is really happening. When it comes to elephant management, too many zoos - incl. Auckland - ****** to 19th century menageries. How can they import young females from the Sri Lanka subspecies if they have NO space for a big family group, NO space for a bull and NO other Sri Lanka elephants in other zoos nearby?? How is it possible that a zoo which claims to be committed to animal welfare and consercation imports two young females of an highly endangered species with no long-term perspective for breeding??
 
I'm confused by the reaction to Auckland zoo import. Has the Australasian breeding program not demonstrated that successful breeding is feasible through AI? Because that has been the long standing intention, in addition to providing a social structure to Burma. As for the enclosure, an expansion is in the current master plan. A plan which does include bull facilities. However the current layout is sufficient for three females and their juvenile offspring for the time being.
 
Yeah, the current facility may be suitable for a few females with female calves, but not for the males they will most likely produce with AI. Ai breeding produces mostly males. Which neither Auckland nor any other zoo in NZ can house long-term. Actually not even short-term since males, as the young bull in Taronga demostrated, can become too aggressive to handle in free contact nat the age of 2.
Yes, breeding is possible through AI. But breeding solely through AI ignores the social needs of a female elephant. Interacting with a bull and mating is an important part of elephant behavoir and permanently denying a female that is not what a modern, scientific zoo should do. The next problem with AI is that AI is very invasive and expensive. Almost all zoos that use solely AI have significantly fewer calves per female then those that have a breeding bull. Once they have archieved one pregnancy, that`s usually it for a long time. AI is just too complicated and expensive. Hell, the vets who do it have to be flown in from Germany. If it doesn`t work the first time, the next try will cost again thousands of dollars just in travel expenses. And then after all these efforts you`ll most likely get a bull calf which is really the last thing that Auckland wants.

If Auckland wants to continue with elephants, they should make the committment to contribute to the breeding program of Thai elephants that Sydney and Melbourne already have going. Find another home for Burma instead of leeting her wait all alone any more, expand the facility before (!!) bringing in more elephants, and take young bulls. That would be important.
 
Any recent updates on the planned import/s? All appears to have gone very quiet since the "potentially arriving in November 2013" articles late last year :confused:
 
Here is some new information on the importation, although several inaccuracies in the story (from a privately-owned Sri Lankan Sunday newspaper, which describes itself as "known for its outspoken news coverage") lead me to suspect it may not be unbiased. Essentially, there were going to be two young female calves imported from Sri Lanka, but one is not healthy, so they might just import one. Maybe...

Full story here: Dubious Deal In Elephant Exchange Underway? | The Sunday Leader

Dubious Deal In Elephant Exchange Underway?

Attempts are being made by two Ministry Secretaries to send an elephant calf to a private zoo in New Zealand in contravention to an agreement the two ministries have reached in Supreme Court in 2007 which states that such transfer of elephants are illegal.

Secretary Botanical Gardens and Public Recreation Dr Willie Gamage is accused of attempting to obtain an elephant calf from the Elephant Transit Home (ETH) Udawalawa to gift the animal to Auckland Zoo – a private zoo in New Zealand. Meanwhile Wildlife Resources and Conservation Ministry Secretary Udeni Wickremasinghe too has come under severe criticism for his unstinted support to Dr Gamage by instructing the ETH staff to make arrangements to release ‘Gomari’ who is three and a half years of age to send to the National Zoological Gardens in order to send her to New Zealand.

Several messages were left with Dr Gamage’s Secretary Ms Manel seeking a comment but Dr Gamage was unwilling to explain the motives of this elephant transfer as he was ‘very busy’. Wickremasinghe was out of the country and Additional Secretary Wildlife, Saman Fernando who acts for Wickremasinghe said he knew nothing about the story.

According to Director Environment Conservation Trust Sajeewa Chamikara, the two Secretary’s motive to send an elephant calf to the Auckland Zoo is highly questionable.

In 2007 a Fundamental Rights application was filed in Supreme Court (SCFR 380/ 2007) seeking guidelines on sending animals to foreign countries as part of animal exchange programmes. The Supreme Court after considering the application instructed the Director General Wildlife Conservation to draft guideline as to how animals could be sent under the animal exchange programmes. Hence a committee presided by the Director General Wildlife Conservation, a representative of the Public Recreation Ministry and a nominee of the Director National Zoological Gardens drafted guidelines.

“According to these guidelines, when gifting elephants to a foreign country under the animal exchange programme, only the elephants that have been born and bread at a national zoo or elephant orphanage that comes under the National Zoological Department could be exported but not any animal that is kept for rehabilitation to release back to the wild. However, overlooking this agreement reached in court the Secretary Botanical Gardens and Public Recreation Ministry has instructed the Wildlife Ministry Secretary to release a five- year-old female elephant from the Elephant Transit Home Udawalawe to the National Zoological Gardens which is highly dubious,” said Chamikara.

Chamikara further said, “On what grounds has he made a request to the Wildlife Ministry to release an elephant calf that is being rehabilitated to release back to the wild. Doesn’t he know that he is bound to stick to the guidelines,” Chamikara queried.

According to Chamikara, Sri Lanka is a signatory to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and accused Dr Gamage and Wickremasinghe of ignoring the CITES rules as well.

“According to these guidelines, when gifting elephants to a foreign country under the animal exchange programme, only the elephants that have been born and bread at a national zoo or elephant orphanage that comes under the National Zoological Department could be exported but not any animal that is kept for rehabilitation to release back to the wild. However, overlooking this agreement reached in court the Secretary Botanical Gardens and Public Recreation Ministry has instructed the Wildlife Ministry Secretary to release a five-year-old female elephant from the Elephant Transit Home Udawalawe to the National Zoological Gardens which is highly dubious,”
Director Environment Conservation Trust Sajeewa Chamikara

“Appendix 1 of CITES says that species listed are threatened with extinction and CITES prohibits international trade in specimen of these species except when the purpose of the import is not commercial,” added Chamikara.

In a letter dated January 20, 2014 to the Secretary Wildlife Resources Conservation Ministry, Dr Gamage has made a request to release one of the female elephant calves in ETH in Udawalawe to the National Zoological Gardens in order to send the animal to the Auckland Zoo under animal exchange programme.

This controversial letter further state as thus, “The National Zoological Gardens in Dehiwala is in dire need of expensive and rare foreign animal species. Since we also need these rare animals for the proposed Rideegama Safari Park and Pinnawala Zoo which would be opened within the next three to six months it is very important for us to get them from foreign countries through animal exchange programmes.

“As a result a MoU was signed with the Auckland Zoo to export two female elephant calves to New Zealand to obtain animal species for our zoos. According to the MoU, the National Zoological Gardens earlier planned to gift Pali and Angalie born on December 8, 2006 and August 13, 2006 respectively to be sent to New Zealand in February. However since Pali’s health condition is not good and she has to be under medical observation for more than 6 months we are unable to find a replacement for Pali as there are no female elephant calves in the zoological gardens and has failed to implement the animal exchange programme up to date.

“The National Zoological Gardens in Dehiwala is in dire need of expensive and rare foreign animal species. Since we also need these rare animals for the proposed Rideegama Safari Park and Pinnawala Zoo which will be opened within the next three to six months, it is very important for us to get them from foreign countries through animal exchange programmes.”
Secretary Botanical Gardens and Public Recreation Dr Willie Gamage

“In order to implement this very important programme as promised, I would be pleased if you could release a five-year-old female elephant calf from the ETH Udawalawe to the National Zoological Department to send it to the Auckland Zoo”.

Although Dr Gamage has misled wildlife officials that this elephant calf will be sent to New Zealand as part of an animal exchange programme, the Auckland Zoo confirmed to The Sunday Leader that thy are not sending any animals to Sri Lanka in return.

Responding to an e-mail forwarded to the Head of Life Sciences, Auckland Zoo, Kevin Buley wrote to this newspaper confirming that there is no agreement as such – an animal exchange programme between the Auckland and Sri Lankan Zoos. “No animals will be sent to Sri Lanka from Auckland Zoo as part of the MoU with the NDZG. Auckland Zoo will however be providing support for the improvement and development of the animal collections and support in capacity building of the staff at the facilities that the NDZG is responsible for managing,” said Buley.

“No animals will be sent to Sri Lanka from Auckland Zoo as part of the MoU with the NDZG. Auckland Zoo will however be providing support for the improvement and development of the animal collections and support in capacity building of the staff at the facilities that the NDZG is responsible for managing.”
Head of Life Sciences,
Auckland Zoo, Kevin Buley

Meanwhile Director Species Conservation Center Pubudu Weeraratne said that sources at the ETH has confirmed him that they were requested to release ‘Gomari’ to be sent to New Zealand.

“According to ETH sources Gomari is three and a half years of age and the Wildlife Department has selected her to be sent to New Zealand. According to the agreement the Wildlife Ministry officials and the Botanical Gardens Ministry officials have reached with the Supreme Court an underage elephant calf cannot be exported. These ministry secretaries are violating all norms of rules and regulations,” said Weeraratne.

According to Weeraratne, 45 elephant calves are being rehabilitated at the ETH and all of them would be released back to the wild after they are strong enough to live alone. When contacted Director General Wildlife Conservation H.D. Ratnayake whether he has given instruction to the ETH to release a female elephant calf to be sent to New Zealand, Ratnayake said that he has not received any instruction as such from the Ministry.

“I am not aware of such a move and I have not received any such instruction up to now,” added Ratnayake.

Dear Nirmala,
Thank you for your email regarding Auckland Zoo and elephants.

Auckland Zoo does indeed have a cooperative MoU with the National Department of Zoo Gardens (NDZG)., As part of this agreement, Auckland Zoo is working with the NDZG to source two suitable captive bred animals or animals of wild born origin from the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage that have no prospect of a future life in the wild – elephants that are considered unsuitable for release into the wild. Our partnership aims to promote the protection and breeding of Sri Lankan elephants as well as enable the people of New Zealand to learn about the importance of wildlife conservation.

Auckland Zoo would support the reforming of rescued orphan animals in New Zealand that are considered unsuitable for wild release (and would therefore spend their whole lives in a captive situation) to a caring and supportive environment where their welfare needs can be properly met. The CITES 1 status of the Asian Elephant does not prevent the export or import of wild born orphan animals from either Sri Lanka or New Zealand.

It is however vitally important for us (and for the authorities that administer CITES in New Zealand) that we can be confident that any transfer of wild origin animals does not have any negative effect on the wild population of the species. This ‘Non Detriment Finding’ is a key part of any granting of CITES 1 export and import permits. Also key to the granting of any CITES 1 import permit for NZ would be a thorough verification of the provenance of any animal – in particular its captive or wild origin. Auckland Zoo is a committed wildlife conservation organization and, as part of our due diligence process for any animal acquisition, we always make absolutely sure that there will be no negative impact on the wild population.

Any decision we make about the suitability of animals offered to Auckland Zoo from Pinnawala would be based on all information we have received from all relevant sources. We have received a lot of encouraging information recently on the success of the rehabilitation and release programme at the Elephant Transit Home, Udawalawe and it would appear to us that these animals would not meet Auckland Zoo’s criteria for the animal to be unsuitable for release to the wild.

At the current time, we have received no details of an orphan female that might potentially be offered to us, or the circumstances as to why the animal would be considered unsuitable for release. We would need to have a clear understanding of exactly why it would be considered unsuitable for release before we were able to accept it.

There is no agreement for an animal exchange programme between the Auckland and Sri Lankan Zoos. No animals will be sent to Sri Lanka from Auckland Zoo as part of the MoU with the NDZG. Auckland Zoo will however be providing support for the improvement and development of the animal collections and support in capacity building of the staff at the facilities that the NDZG is responsible for managing.
Yours sincerely,
Kevin
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Kifaru Bwana said:
It is an endangered species and the need to spread the Auckland genes around other zoos would also enable Auckland Zoo to restart the breeding programme.
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If I remember rightly, the founder stock (2.2?) of Orangs at Auckland came from Europe- at least one was from Frankfurt. I think their genetic lines may already be well represented in Europe where they originally sourced them from. I am not sure if others have been incopororated into their breeding from elsewhere since though.
 
Pertinax said:
If I remember rightly, the founder stock (2.2?) of Orangs at Auckland came from Europe- at least one was from Frankfurt. I think their genetic lines may already be well represented in Europe where they originally sourced them from. I am not sure if others have been incopororated into their breeding from elsewhere since though.
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@Pertinax, I suppose this ended up in the wrong thread.

I find the all fracas in Sri Lanka on the potential elephant export somewhat disturbing. I would say it happens all the time …, when CITES I species from range countries are concerned, the in situ are quite a lot of the times very stingy on exports, yet not so stingy or critical on the progress of in situ conservation or rehabilitation of wildlife at home. An inconvenient truth … perhaps!!?

I would like myself …, to see a report on the elephant rehabilitation taking place at the Animal Orphanage and what progress has been achieved in general on rehabilitation of elephants from these facilities … plus what in situ conservation measures are in place to assure continued and sustainable survival and protection of the wild elephant populations in Sri Lanka itself.

This whole newspaper charade is out of the Auckland Zoo hands and takes place within Sri Lanka itself. It is unbelievable beyond the pale that both authorities and Animal Orphanage staff seem to be hell bent on misrepresenting the entire export for their own personal benefit without taking heed to wildlife conservation threats, needs and actions in general.

Amen!


On the side, I do think that Auckland needs to look at its policy of only maintaining females and not for the purposes of captive-breeding. To have a bull on site or a facility to accommodate one is critical. Before long we will have sufficient male calves from within the program or on import from European sources (and hopefully vice versa) to let that become a reality.
 
Kifaru Bwana said:
@Pertinax, I suppose this ended up in the wrong thread.
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Pertinax's comment refers to something you said about orangutans on the first page of this thread.
 
The ETH and the orphanage are two very different facilities. The orphanage breeds elephants and "orphans" housed there are deemed unsuitable for release, very touristy. The ETH is a release facility for wild born elephants. The majority of orphans at the ETH were war orphans when I was there in 2006. There are plenty of calves born at the orphanage. I can't understand why they would need to take from the ETH.
 
Could this finally be it?!

I quote the following from the article in the link below.. ;) Fingers firmly crossed if true

"Sri Lanka has also agreed to gift two elephants and the first elephant named Anjalee is due to arrive at the Auckland Zoo by February next year, in time for the World Cup," Harris said, referring to New Zealand's plans to co-host the next 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup with Australia. "Our Prime Minister John Key is very keen to have those two animals at the Auckland zoo soon," said Harris adding that steps would be taken to reduce the trade balance. Sri Lanka's main exports to New Zealand have been tea and spices.

New Zealand hails Lanka's progress in reconciliation
 
Nisha said:
I quote the following from the article in the link below.. ;) Fingers firmly crossed if true

"Sri Lanka has also agreed to gift two elephants and the first elephant named Anjalee is due to arrive at the Auckland Zoo by February next year, in time for the World Cup," Harris said, referring to New Zealand's plans to co-host the next 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup with Australia. "Our Prime Minister John Key is very keen to have those two animals at the Auckland zoo soon," said Harris adding that steps would be taken to reduce the trade balance. Sri Lanka's main exports to New Zealand have been tea and spices.

New Zealand hails Lanka's progress in reconciliation
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Will be interesting to see what happens here. There hasn't been anything in the NZ media lately, suggesting that either they don't think its going to happen, or are concerned about a public backlash. I hope they do get more elephants, but I'd much prefer a small breeding heard that is the same subspecies as those in Australia, allowing for exchange in a breeding programme.
 
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