Like Giving a Junky Free Drugs: Leasing Elephants and Other Wildlife to China

What a ridiculous plan. Anyone who knows about Chinas treatment of animals knows that this will be a devastating act. China is by far the cruelest country on Earth. Need proof? Just read these posts:

http://geari.blogspot.com/2006/03/
crash-course-in-unbelievable-cruelty.html

http://geari.blogspot.com/2006/08/
cruel-china-plans-another-large-dog.html

http://geari.blogspot.com/2006/08/
even-on-heels-of-beyond-disgusting-dog.html

http://geari.blogspot.com/2006/05/
in-order-to-get-back-at-dalai-lama-and.html

The point is that China cannot be trusted with any species. To “lease” life to them is just plain stupid – like giving a junky free drugs.

Article:

Animal rights activists oppose Thai elephant lease to China

http://etna.mcot.net/query.php?nid=24276

BANGKOK, Aug 23 (TNA) - Animal rights activists in Asia have joined together to protest Thailand's plan to lend elephants and other wildlife to China, alleging that the animal exchange could place bio-diversity and the country's declining population of elephants at risk, a leading Thai activist said on Tuesday.

Soraida Salwala, secretary-general of Friends of the Asian Elephant Foundation, said more than 40 animal rights organisations from 10 Asian nations have jointly issued a statement protesting the Chiang Mai Night Safari's plan to exchange five Thai elephants, some chimpanzees, douc langur monkeys, and crocodiles for some white tigers from China.

She said Thai animals rights activist groups will meet Wednesday to plan a coordinated action to preventing the authorities from exporting the wildlife.

''We would not let it happen again...as when they successfully sent eight Thai elephants to Australia,'' she said.

Soraida said she believed the five elephants have already been moved to a shelter near Bangkok in preparation for their trip to China.

Despite the accusation from animal rights groups, Wattana Wittayaprasit, head of Cites Management Authority of Thailand, said the department has not yet given a green light to Chiang Mai Night Safari
as alleged.

He said the proposal arrived at his department two months ago and is under legal practice review and other considerations.

Meanwhile, government officials met Tuesday to discuss legal amendments to prevent elephant identity theft.

Schwann Tunhikorn, deputy director-general of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, said he would propose a cabinet resolution to allow baby elephants to be registered at 30
days of age and to have a microchip implated under their skin, a practice usually done when the beasts are eight years old.

Mr. Schwann said the cabinet resolution would be a shortcut to amending a law regarding the use of animals as transport which has been in place for 67 years.

''Any changes to the law would need years to accomplish,'' he said.

Entering baby elephants into official records and giving them microchips containing individual demographic information at early age is believed by some experts to help prevent animal smuggling.

It would also help Thailand keep track of the country's population of elephants, he said.