Hi,
The success rate of reintroduction of captive breeding was 16% in 1994. The last document I perused says it is 11%. A lot of these animals were in secluded captive centres and not zoos. David Hancocks of Woodland Park Zoo has commented extensively on this in his book on zoos called 'A Different Nature."
To be honest, I have seen a few elephant exhibits that could be called passable in India, for example, the enclosure in Madras is the largest elephant enclosure I have seen anywhere and Vishkhapatnam and Hyderdabad zoos have large enclosures too. But nothing compared to what an elephant would need for its physical exercise. Captive elephants in India are a HUGE problem from the management perspective.
Take a look at this news item :
Bangkok Post : Osaka Zoo wants to raise two Thai elephants
Osaka Zoo wants to raise two Thai elephants Writer: APINYA
WIPATAYOTINPublished:
13/09/2009 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section:
News<http://www.bangkokpost.com/advance-search/?papers_sec_id=1>
Bangkok and Tokyo will hold talks over a plan to send a pair of Thai
elephants to a state zoo in Osaka, Industry Minister Charnchai Chairungruang
said yesterday.
The minister, who is in Japan to promote trade cooperation, said the jumbos
would be a "present to mark close trade ties between the two countries".
Japan had expressed strong interest in raising a pair of Thai elephants at
its zoo in Osaka, which already has one Thai jumbo, Mr Charnchai said ahead
of a meeting with the Japanese environment minister.
"Japan has been asking for the past six years if it can look after a pair of
jumbos, but the Thai government has yet to reply," the minister told the
Bangkok Post via telephone from Japan.
"Giving the elephants to an important trading partner such as Japan will be
a good way to strengthen economic cooperation," Mr Charnchai said, adding he
would discuss the issue with Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and the
Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suwit Khunkitti upon his return.
Animal rights groups and environmentalists say sending the elephants to
Japan would send a wrong signal that Thailand supports trade in endangered
wildlife.
Soraida Salwala, founder of the Bangkok-based Friends of the Asian Elephant
Foundation, urged the minister to scrap the planned jumbo export.
"The government should keep the elephants here, while Tokyo should stop
asking for the jumbos," said Ms Soraida.
Thailand had a bad image as one of the world's largest wildlife trade hubs.
Ms Soraida said many countries had asked Thailand to send Asian elephants to
their zoos, including the Philippines, and Sri Lanka.
Elephants are one of 51 wild animals listed on Appendix I of the Convention
on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, which
bans the export and import of listed animals except for educational and
conservation purposes. However, some imports and exports of protected wild
animals have been conducted under government-to-government animal exchange
programmes.
Thailand has sent elephants to countries for educational purposes and to
strengthen relations, such as the 2006 elephant-koala swap under which eight
elephants were sent to zoos in Australia.
--
"Until he extends his circle of compassion to include all living things, man
will not himself find peace." -Albert Schweitzer
Is this endeavour for conservation? I very much doubt it. Having said all this, I do applaud the zoos that have voluntarily decided not to keep elephants any more, Edinburgh, Bristol and Detroit among others.
can i just ask something and this might sound abit silly but anyway
with the zoos setting up breeding programs for elephants, or any other species for that matter what is the aim for the zoos besides getting more of the species, is there eventually plans to release animals back to the wild?????? and really this is for zoos everywhere
