My inbox is overflowing with interesting stuff to share but I’m still very focused on the crisis in Congo concerning the mountain gorillas, so I’m picking and choosing. Remember to read Dr. Lucy Spelman’s blog, recently updated with news about Ndakasi’s recovery and she’ll post about Ndeze’s recovery soon.
This is a recent DawnWatch alert about circuses and their continued use of bullhooks on elephants. What’s a bullhook, you ask?
” … a tool used to punish and control elephants. It is also called an ankus, elephant goad, or elephant hook. The handle is made of wood, metal, plastic, or fiberglass, and there is a sharp steel hook at one end. Its shape resembles a boat hook or fireplace poker. Some bullhooks have long, “shepherd’s crook” cane-style handles, allowing the trainer a firmer grip so that greater force can be exerted while pulling and yanking the hook deeper into the elephant’s flesh.Both ends inflict damage. The trainer uses the hook to apply varying degrees of pressure to sensitive spots on the elephant’s body (see diagram), causing the elephant to move away from the source of discomfort. Holding the hooked end, the handle is swung like a baseball bat and induces substantial pain when the elephant is struck on the wrist, ankle, and other areas where there is little tissue between skin and bone.
Please note that this weapon is used on members of an endangered species. In fact, according to the recent issue of the National Zoo’s “Wildlife Adventures” magazine, there are only about 30,000 to 50,000 Asian elephants left in the wild. Another 15,000 elephants are used in the timber and tourist industries but many of these are not living in substandard conditions. One of the biggest threats to the Asian elephant’s survival is habitat loss. If you want to help protect Asian elephants:
- Don’t ever buy ivory. Elephants are often killed just for their ivory tusks.
- Don’t use products that include palm oil. In many areas, palm oil plantations have destroyed important elephant habitat.
- Donate to organizations dedicated to conserving Asian elephants.
DawnWatch says:
I am sorry to report that the New York station, NY1 news, which has an excellent history of animal friendly coverage, has today done a brief but awful fluff piece on the Cole Bros circus. You can watch it at http://www.ny1.com/ny1/content/index.jsp?stid=1&aid=72120.
If you are relatively new to animal issues, and not familiar with what goes on behind the big top, please go to http://www.circuses.com/.
Watch the video headed “Make em scream” — if you have the stomach for it. You’ll hear those baby elephants scream as a lunatic trainer shows his protege how he “sinks in” his bullhook and describes wiggling it around in the flesh.As for Cole Brothers in particular, go to http://www.circuses.com/fact-clyde.asp for the information NY1 left out of the story.
Please send a note to the station and ask for an appropriate story on the circus, including cover of the animal cruelty citations. If you live in New York, it is incumbent upon you to write! But there is nothing wrong with the station learning that people across the country are discussing it. Please, however, express you concerns and disappointment politely. It is important that we share what we know in a way that it will be taken in, rather than deflected without consideration because of the manner in which it was delivered. We can vent to each other, but we are in no way helping the animals if we make enemies out of the media. The media is powerful and the animals need powerful friends.
The station takes comments at ny1news@ny1.com and takes its feedback seriously.
Yours and the animals’,
Karen Dawn(DawnWatch is an animal advocacy media watch that looks at animal issues in the media and facilitates one-click responses to the relevant media outlets. You can learn more about it, and sign up for alerts at http://www.DawnWatch.com. You may forward or reprint DawnWatch alerts if you do so unedited — leave DawnWatch in the title and include this parenthesized tag line. If somebody forwards DawnWatch alerts to you, which you enjoy, please help the list grow by signing up. It is free.)
Bottom line: Don’t go to the circus.
s.
Filed under: animal rights, endangered species
