Thailand sends eight Asian elephants to Australia
Eight Asian elephants are expected to rumble through Thailand’s international airport today on their way to their new homes in Australia.
Each in their separate cages, the pachyderms will be loaded onto a cargo plane late today and fly to their temporary home in Australia’s Cocos islands where they will be quarantined for three months.
The transfer has been held up for more than a year as animal rights groups in both countries fought to have the move scuttled over concerns for the elephants’ welfare.
They claim the animals – who will be part of a captive breeding programme - will suffer in the confines of the zoos and that the programme won’t help conserve the species.
“I’m opposed to this export and feel very sad with what the Thai authorities are doing,” said Soraida Salwala, founder of Friends of the Asian Elephant.
“They’re definitely coming and they’re coming very soon,” said Mark Williams, a spokesman for Sydney’s Taronga Zoo, which will be receiving some of the elephants.
“The requirement for importation is three months quarantine on Australian soil before they reach Sydney and Melbourne.”
