Elephant calves 'need help'
2006-11-14 09:45
Durban - Interim legislation was urgently needed to stop elephant calves from being
removed from herds for use in the safari and film industry and as working
animals.
This was the opinion of a working committee, consisting of provincial conservation
agencies across the country, as formulated in a document compiled by
the KwaZulu-Natal department of agriculture and environmental affairs.
This working committee believed tourists should be informed about the "serious
ethical and moral" issues regarding the capture and taming of these
animals and called upon the national department of environmental affairs and
tourism to immediately establish interim legislation on a national level to
stop these "unethical practices".
According to the document, permits were still being issued (by
provincial authorities who did not form part of the work-group) for the
capture and sale of elephant calves. These elephant calves were broken-in
and tamed for use in elephant safaris and the film industry.
The working committee proposed that Marthinus van Schalkwyk, minister of
environmental affairs and tourism establish interim legislation until the
department's norms and standards for elephant management had been finalised,
as the lack of legislation created loopholes for the exploitation of these
animals for financial gain.
The working committee proposed that the interim legislation should determine that
no elephant calves be removed from herds and that the import of these
animals, whether tame or wild, to South Africa be banned.
According to the document, people who supported elephant safaris were under
the false impression that these animals were saved from culling.
The working committee believed that cruel methods were used to tame the elephants
for these industries.
Mava Scott, spokesperson for the department of environmental affairs and
tourism, said on Monday every province had its own legislation and could put
in place a moratorium on the issuing of permits for the capture of
elephants.
Provinces could also mutually "reprimand" each other.