Elephants and sun bears

[Guest guest]

Attn: To whom it may concern

 

 

Allow me to introduce myself. I'm S.S. Yoga a featue writer (with a

focus on environmental issues) with The Star, a Malaysian national

daily Enlgish newspaper.

I am writing in the hope that you will be able to help for a story

I'm doing. Apparently the Wildlife Department of the state of Sabah

in Malaysia have been sending out Asian elephants and Malayan sun

bears (Bornean sub-species) to zoos and safari parks (some on long-

term loan) overseas.

I have managed to gleam some facts from the Sabah Wildlife Department

(after much persistence) but they have not been very forthcoming. The

rest I have tracked down from other sources.

The sun bears arrangement was apparently initiated by the IUCN Sun

Bear group and Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo. In 1996 10 bears were

sent to Woodland Park, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, Audobon Park and

Zoological Garden, New Orleans and Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago.

Last year (2000) 10 more were sent apparently to Woodlands Park, Sand

Diego Zoo, St Louis Zoo, Houston Zoo, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo,

Minnesota Zoo, Lincoln Park and Galdys Porter Zoo, Brownsville Texas.

They are apparently on loan for a captive breeding programme.

The bears were those apparently seized or surrendered from licensed

pet owners who couldn't control the grown pets (the ages are not

known though).

 

The Elephants (17 in total) were apparentlly cpatured because of

complaints of crop raiding oil palm plantations and hence they were

rounded up from Sep 15, 2000 to Nov 1, 2000.

Two were sent to Fukuyama Municipal Zoo, Japan, 10 to Guangzhou

Xiangjiang Safari Park, China, two to Chunju City Zoo, Korea, one to

Oregon Zoo and two to Hannover Zoo, Germany (there is a rumour that

one died during the journey there).

The shipment dates are Nov 1999 for the US, Oct 2000 for Korea, Nov

2000 for China and April 2001 for Japan. Wildlife has not given a

date for the German shipment (one wonders why?).

Again these elephants are supposedly for a breeding programme.

The only stats I have for the elephants is that the Oregon elephant

was six years old and female named Chendra now weighing 1400lbs.

The elephants are basically given away and not on loan.

 

Sabah Wildlife clains that CITES permits have been issued for all

these shipments.

 

I hope that you can help me with the following queries:

Q1. Have you heard of this programme? If you have, do you have any

details or suspicions on this programme?

Q2. Have you heard of any orang utans also being sent out from

Sabah.

Q3. The AAPN website seems to indicate that the Panyu Safari park

seems well run but do you know if they have any breeding programmes

for elephants?

Q4. How well run are the Fukuyama and Chunju City Zoos? Would the

elephants be well taken off?

Q5. What are the best ages for sun bears and elephants for breeding

programmes? Is it possible if they are much older?

Q6. At what age would sun bears be difficult to handle and at that

age would they be good candidates for breeding programmes?

Q7. Could you please let me know the contact numbers (e-

mails)/persons of all the zoos/safaris mentioned if you have them?

Q8. Wildlife Dept claims that this programme is their long-term

solution to cope with the problem of conflict management and habitat

destruction for the animals - what is your opinion?

Q9. Do you have any other info that could help out?

 

Thank you for your time and consideration. Would appreciate any form

of response. I would appreciate you stating the capacity you are

replying as and if you can or cannot be quoted or would be quoted as

an anonymous expert/observer/source/etc

 

Yours sincerly,

 

S.S. YOGA

Feature Writer,

Section 2, The Star,

13, Jalan 13/6,

46200 Petaling Jaya

Malaysia.

 

Tel: 603-7958 1188 ext 7323

Fax: 603-7955 4039/2959