At the present time, the two elephants at Kampot Zoo are being cared for by the non-governmental organization EARS Asia and they have been offered placement at “The Cambodia Wildlife Sanctuary”. Since they are being cared for by an outside agency and have the chance to be relocated within the region and perhaps even released back to the wild, they should not be moved to Japan.
We recently learned that Hirakawa Zoo is planning to import one or two Asian elephants from Kampot Zoo in Cambodia.
We would like to express our strong opposition to this exchange. We oppose the exchange for several reasons. We have been informed that Mr. Vanda, Director of Kampot Zoo, has publicly stated that he lacks the funding required to properly care for all of the animals he currently has in his collection. It makes no sense to send Japanese animals to a foreign zoo that may not have the funds to take care of them.
We have also been informed of allegations that Mr. Vanda purchases wildlife on the free market, an activity that we understand is illegal in Cambodia.
At the present time, the two elephants at Kampot Zoo are being cared for by the non-governmental organization EARS Asia and they have been offered placement at “The Cambodia Wildlife Sanctuary”. Since they are being cared for by an outside agency and have the chance to be relocated within the region and perhaps even released back to the wild, they should not be moved to Japan. If that happened, any chance of future relocation to a sanctuary or release to the wild would be eliminated.
Elephants are highly social, extremely intelligent, wide-ranging animals, so this makes their housing and management in captivity exceptionally difficult. In fact, many urban zoos have given up elephant keeping because of the challenges these animals pose and the enormous expense involved in keeping them.
If they were moved to Hirakawa Zoo, a facility with small, rudimentary elephant accommodation, they would be worse off and their welfare would diminish. Given the current situation and the reputation and history of Kampot Zoo, we suggest that no modern, responsible zoo should be sending animals there or taking animals that may in future have other more humane options available to them.
In addition, there is no legitimate conservation value to this proposed trade.
We hope you will consider the points we have raised in this letter and do whatever you can to ensure that the Hirakawa Zoo’s proposed importation of Asian elephants does not happen.
