Exciting News

Exciting News
09-08-2007

Well I think it's exciting and feel free to move this thread to another elephant one but when I found out I was pretty damn pumped and I think everyone who has either searching for or is sick of hearing about where on earth those other damn elephants are in Australia. I have found them. We have spent the last 6 weeks searching for crazy and about 20 minutes ago my SpoCo found them, knew I'd want to know and called me. (we work late nights to help the animals hehe) and well as many of us thought there are three Asian elephants living with Lorraine and Fred Maynard. Better known as the owners of Perry Bros Circus. My SpoCo is has provided me with the link which I'll put up in the morning if anyone is interested, for now One of the girls is ex - sole bros (her friends were killed in a truck accident along with a clown) and her name is Minyak. Thats all I've got for now but if you have any questions for the owners let me know. I will be looking to talk to them about the history of elephants in their circus in the coming days. Let me know. This Information is from this year and I don't doubt they still have all three. AT LAST

10-08-2007

Yeah Dan Koehl of the elephant database was not sure how accurate these were and asked me to find out for him the exact number and details. Perry Bros circus only has three elephants though, not four. and they do still occasioanlly use them in shows.

13-08-2007

Stardust Circus will be around my way next month, so even though I am not in favour of using wild animals in circuses I will go to the site to see how Arna and Gigi look.

It's good that Arna has company now.

13-08-2007

i believe arna and gigi are both in their mid forties so might still live another 10 years or so. all other circus elephants are considerably older that that according to the startdust owner.

circus' have terrible track records. virtually every circus ahs a guilty plea of animal cruelty somehwre along the lines. elephants cop it bad too. i can't understand how these circus' can keep these animals in a way akin to a domestic animal and just cart them around in rusty old trucks and fence them in with a simple electric wire or chain them to their trailer. its pretty archaic that they contunue to be granted permits to do so.

whilst these should-be-retired circus elephants are not the responsibility of our zoos, nor does a zoo have the ability to force a sale of these animals. but i wish somehow the grip of legislation got so tight it sort of forced the circus to give up the animals and they could be retired, in one big group.

they will all die soon. fact is they are getting quite old. id'e be supprised if they make it to 60 and most are nearing that age. the circus' will be without elephants soon and they will never again have a chance to aquire any. they can stall the inevitable, and never retire them short-term, but all that does is deny the animals a chance to chill out and maybe even extend their life expectancy a bit.

Patrick
17-08-2007

I see you feel quite strongly about the circus elephant situation. I am not sure that perry bros travel with theirs as often as they used to but one of my staff is going down to visit them at the base camp after october I will tell you how they are and if interested in how we plan to help them pm me and I'll share some info. I also feel the same way as you about circus elephants. Janlin circuses is stubborn, I think Lorraine maynard may be different. again if interested let me know.

18-08-2007

i think i feel quite strongly about elephants in general. in fact i become an angry raving madman, who is only subdued when he is suddenly standing there in front of them when visiting the zoo. no sooner than i walk out the zoo gates i start to arc up again!!!!

i'm getting better though... slowly. i even think the elephants at melbourne are relatively happy.......................for now.

19-08-2007

A larger property would be better for them all i think. In my opinion Aust Zoo should be trying to get the circus elephants and the zoos should give them their breeding ones. they have better suited facilities in my eyes. just need better staff. and a few upgrades... but 30 hectares

Exhibit size
19-08-2007

they have better suited facilities in my eyes. just need better staff. and a few upgrades... but 30 hectares[/quote]

Are you saying that Aust zoos elephant exhibit is 30 hectares??

19-08-2007

no the exhibit itslef. they do have an area outback that is about 30 hectares where the elephants can roam for i'd say 60% of the day. the actual exhibit I'm sure is quite a bit smaller but then if they had that large a collection they would also be able to rotate the animals around they exhibit... it could also be 30 acres.

22-08-2007

but i was under the impression they did not have breeding facilities at all let alone "better suited" ones!!! i certainly don't advocate sending them breeding-age elephants.

australia zoo should certainly have a try at aquiring any additional circus elephants, but it would be rediculous for them to be expected to pay for them. i love elephants but if i was a wealthy man i would reserve all temptation to purchase elephants form the circus'. instead i would try and make agreements for them to be handed over in return for a at-my-expense retirement.

gigi and arna are the only two who will potentially live much longer, maybe another 10 or 15 years. so really the elephants are not worth anything in terms of monetry value. however, they DO deserve a retirement. but the onus is on the circus' to do the right thing. there is no point "rewarding" the circus by buying them off them.

22-08-2007

Patrick, the problem with circuses is they aren't as bad off financially as many people may think and therefore will not just give away their animals. I know that large amounts of money have been offered by various parties to the three circus families remaining with them and they still say no. Amounts of money that would easily exceed the costs involved in caring for them till their death. I agree with you that they shouldn't have to buy them but how do you think aust zoo has the elephants now. they don't own them. they pay a contract fee for them. basically they are leasing the elephants off the bullens. But I do understand where your coming from. I have a three hundred acre property that would be ideal for elephants with dams, mud wallows, even sandy areas and loads of huge trees. we offered like you said to pay for all costs of relocatng them and paying for their retirement even hiring their keeper but they said no. Even after an offer of upto $1 mil over 5 years they said no. (my staff offered to cut pays and work extra hours to help the girls) The elephants are an attraction to them and a part of the family. So it seems, unless a miracle can happen these animals will remain with the circuses for life. We'll just have to wait and see about the perry bros girls.