The Natural Resources and Environment Ministry has stepped in to put pressure on calls for the three Malaysian elephants in the care of a Japanese zoo since March 11, to be returned.
Its minister, Arthur Joseph Kurup, said that while the ministry is not a party to the Taiping Zoo and Night Safari’s transfer agreement with the Tennoji Zoo in Osaka, there are legitimate grounds behind animal welfare groups’ demand that the elephants be brought home.
“If it is found that the implementation of this agreement is no longer aligned with the principles of wildlife conservation and current sensitivities, then the need to return the three elephants to their original habitat must be seriously considered by the parties who signed the agreement,” he told a press conference in Putrajaya today.
Also present were ministry officers from the Wildlife Conservation and National Parks Department (Perhilitan), which is responsible for animal welfare.
Arthur earlier met with social activist S Kalai Vanar, who last Friday submitted a memorandum urging the authorities to bring the elephants home, following an online petition that has garnered more than 100,000 signatures.
It was previously reported that Perhilitan had coordinated the relocation of a 20-year-old bull named Kelat, and two females, 14-year-old Dara and nine-year-old Amoi, as part of the Malaysian Elephant Conservation Programme, aimed at breeding and research.
Commenting further, Arthur said the ministry had previously responded to viral images and videos on social media that highlighted the elephants’ concerning conditions.
“As a result, on April 13, I held a meeting with the ambassador of Japan to Malaysia, Noriyuki Shikata, and raised the issue with him.
“On April 21, we summoned the Taiping Municipal Council president, together with the management of Taiping Zoo and Night Safari, to explain the elephant conservation programme,” he said.
The ministry had recommended several follow-up actions, but to date, the parties involved have not accepted the suggestions, he added.
“After reviewing the submitted memorandum, the ministry is, in principle, of the view that the proposal to return the three elephants should be seriously considered, taking into account public interest and current sensitivities.
“Accordingly, I strongly urge the management of Taiping Zoo and Night Safari to initiate negotiations with Tennoji Zoo, to assess the necessity and mechanism for bringing the elephants back to the country,” he said.
No legal authority
Arthur, however, conceded that the ministry, as an external party to the 2022 agreement between two private entities, has no legal authority to enforce termination or mandate the elephants’ return.
“We understand that any reason to terminate the agreement is between the management of Taiping Zoo and Night Safari and Tennoji Zoo,” he said.
Asked whether the ministry is willing to pay for the elephants’ return, Arthur said the related costs would be covered by the original agreement under its contract termination terms.
“However, on the grounds of conservation and national interest, we would be willing to look for funds in the name of saving elephants,” he added.
‘Place them in conservation centre’
Separately, Pahang Menteri Besar Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail said the three elephants should be placed at the Kuala Gandah National Elephant Conservation Centre in Temerloh, which he described as more suitable for the animals' natural habitat and needs.
He noted that the conservation centre possesses the expertise and a more conducive environment for elephant conservation and care, particularly regarding social interaction, freedom of movement, and psychological well-being.
"We have a responsibility to ensure that every national treasure is properly preserved, and in this case, the most appropriate place for them is back on their home soil," he said, as reported by Bernama.
In the meantime, he stressed that the issue involving these three mammals should not be taken lightly, as they are part of the country's biodiversity heritage deserving of the best protection. - Mkini
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.