UK RSPCA urges elephant import ban

Yahoo News 20 Aug 10;

LONDON (AFP) – The RSPCA on Friday called for a ban on importing elephants for British zoos, saying captive elephants are "suffering" and no more should be bought to the UK until welfare issues are dealt with.

The recommendation follows publication of a report, commissioned by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, on the welfare of elephants in zoos.

RSPCA scientist Dr Ros Clubb said: "We are extremely disappointed that the report did not recommend an outright ban on importing elephants to UK zoos.

"The RSPCA believes that until solutions to the extensive and serious welfare problems can be found we should not be introducing more elephants. Elephants are without question suffering in zoos."

"Adding yet more elephants to an ailing population simply masks the problems and if drastic improvements to these problems cannot be found, the RSPCA believes zoos should phase out elephant keeping," Clubb said.

The report, written by scientists from Bristol University, suggests that if importation was stopped there would be "no merit" in establishing a separate, genetically isolated population in the UK.

Scientists say elephants in zoos have high levels of obesity, behavioural abnormalities and higher infant mortality rates. Elephants in the wild live almost three times longer than those in zoos, stadius have shown.

There are about 70 elephants in 13 zoos around the UK. Visitor records show they are seen by about seven million people each year.