Animal welfare organization, Network for Animals (NFA), has called for an international ban on the trade of elephants after it uncovered video footage of Zimbabwe’s continued imprisonment of baby elephants, despite the country’s denials. NFA has created a petition to stop the country from its consistent capturing of baby elephants that are being exported to China and Pakistan.
Despite opposition from other African countries and non-governmental organizations, this cruel trafficking continues, despite the global outcry against it.
“Our team obtained video proof that two more, very young babies have been captured in the last few days! These babies are destined for Pakistan and are being held separately from the 35 babies previously caught and which are displaying increasingly aggressive behavior. Zimbabwe is treating these poor creatures as if they are mere objects without feelings or needs,” said David Barritt, chief campaigner for NFA.
Baby elephants are emotionally and physically reliant on their mothers and find comfort in large elephant families. Elephants grieve and mourn, just as humans do, at the loss of a loved one. They shed tears and suffer depression.
“We need to act now. The situation is extremely urgent, the longer these animals endure this type of suffering, the harder it becomes to rehabilitate them,” said Barritt.
“The situation is spiraling out of control and that urgent intervention is needed to address the problem.”
“We plan to do as much as we can to help rescue as many elephant families as we can, but it won’t be an easy task. We need support and donations from people across the world to make this happen. We have already begun a global petition and we hope to expose more of this disgusting trade and the perpetrators behind it.”
African elephants are currently listed as a threatened species, with less than 500,000 remaining in the wild. Keeping elephants and other wildlife safe is crucial to tourism and economic growth, in Africa. It needs preservation and the global community agrees.
You can find out more about Network for Animals and our efforts in Zimbabwe by clicking here.
