Proposals to change The Elephant Norms and Standards Law

Discussion on Elephant Management and poaching topics
Post Reply
User avatar
Toko
Posts: 26619
Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 12:29 pm
Country: -

Proposals to change The Elephant Norms and Standards Law

Post by Toko »

Are South Africa’s Wild Elephants Headed For Captivity?

SA elephants could be heading for a life of captivity if proposals to change The Elephant Norms and Standards (ENS) law are accepted by the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) said conservationists in response to a recent announcement by the DEA.

Conservation groups are up in arms over reports that elephants could be imported and exported from the country, wild elephants legally captured for commercial use and all welfare protection for the animals removed.

Changes to the 2008 ENS were discussed at a recent (DEA) “stakeholder meeting”, which included SANParks, NSPCA, professional hunters, elephant working groups and elephant businesses.

The capture of elephants from the wild for commercial facilities such as elephant back safaris or circuses is currently prohibited. However it appears that this protection may be removed as a result.

An alliance consisting of at least 12 organisations, including the NSPCA, Lawrence Anthony Earth Organisation, Public Watch, IFAW and the Elephant Specialist Advisory Group, is submitting their concerns and opposition to these ideas in a letter to Government.

“We are gravely, gravely concerned,” said Ainsley Hay, manager of the wildlife protection unit at the NSPCA, “this type of mentality tragically is applied to all of our wild animals, they are mere commodities.”

One of the guiding principles of the current legislation is that elephants are intelligent, have strong family bonds, operate within highly socialised groups “and unnecessary disruption of these groups by human intervention should be minimised”.

That principle appears to be under threat and must be upheld, said Mandy Lombard of Pubic Watch.

“Just last year the North West and Eastern Cape provinces issued permits (in contravention of the Norms and Standards) for the culling of mothers and the capture of their wild calves for the captive elephant industry.”

Five female elephants were killed at Sandhurst Safaris in North West, and their calves transported to the Eastern Cape, to Elephants of Eden.

The DEA appeared to be intent on removing laws that were being broken, “instead of addressing their shortcomings in enforcement and implementation”, said the NSPCA in a press release. “No other concrete motivations have been provided,” it added.

Exporting and importing elephants would open up “an easy route to launder and trade” with the animals, it said.

“There is extensive cruelty involved with the training methods used to dominate and break elephants for elephant back riding, and this cannot be allowed or supported.”

“We really do not want the Norms and Standards to be watered down,” said Lombard. “We rather need to strengthen them.”

“In 2008 there were 120 captive elephants in the country and a minimum standards document for their protection was promised by the DEA within one year. It was never promulgated, but it was drawn up after extensive consultation,” Lombard added.

“If the minimum standards document had been gazetted, we quite possibly would not have had the human deaths we have had [where elephant handlers were killed], nor would we have had the cruelty to elephants in captivity we’ve seen since 2008. It’s hard to understand what has delayed it.”

By Glynis O’Hara


User avatar
Lisbeth
Site Admin
Posts: 67241
Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 12:31 pm
Country: Switzerland
Location: Lugano
Contact:

Re: Proposals to change The Elephant Norms and Standards Law

Post by Lisbeth »

It gives me the creeps O-/ I certainly hope that the opponents of this madness are many and strong enough to avoid the end of the wild elephant. What kind of people can even think of changing the laws to make legal this kind of barbarity O/ O/ 0=


"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." Nelson Mandela
The desire for equality must never exceed the demands of knowledge
User avatar
Flutterby
Posts: 44150
Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 12:28 pm
Country: South Africa
Location: Gauteng, South Africa
Contact:

Re: Proposals to change The Elephant Norms and Standards Law

Post by Flutterby »

Surely this type of thinking belongs in the ark??!!! :evil: :evil: O/ O/


User avatar
Dewi
Posts: 9147
Joined: Fri May 25, 2012 7:38 pm
Location: United Kingdom
Contact:

Re: Proposals to change The Elephant Norms and Standards Law

Post by Dewi »

Flutterby wrote:Surely this type of thinking belongs in the ark??!!! :evil: :evil: O/ O/
Aye, they captured the last 4 elephants for that as well Flutt's. 0*\


Dewi

What is the good of having a nice house without a decent planet to put it on? (H D Thoreau)
User avatar
Richprins
Committee Member
Posts: 75838
Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 3:52 pm
Location: NELSPRUIT
Contact:

Re: Proposals to change The Elephant Norms and Standards Law

Post by Richprins »

“We are gravely, gravely concerned,” said Ainsley Hay, manager of the wildlife protection unit at the NSPCA, “this type of mentality tragically is applied to all of our wild animals, they are mere commodities.”


That is unfortunately the case at Government party clown level. No clue other than financial gain.


Please check Needs Attention pre-booking: https://africawild-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=322&t=596
User avatar
Toko
Posts: 26619
Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 12:29 pm
Country: -

Re: Proposals to change The Elephant Norms and Standards Law

Post by Toko »

SA elephant norms, standards to be amended

2014-09-25 08:23

Johannesburg - The norms and standards regarding the management of elephants in South Africa are to be amended, the environmental affairs department said on Wednesday.

"The department of environmental affairs [DEA] notes recent reports that it has abandoned key provisions of the norms and standards for the management of elephants in South Africa, adopted on 1 May 2008," it said in a statement.

"The DEA also wishes to clarify misconceptions that these amendments could overturn the founding principles of the 2008 norms."

Since the latest elephant norms and standards came into force, the department had become aware of implementation and enforcement challenges facing owners and managers of elephants, but also conservation authorities.

These included requirements relating to an elephant management plan, in particular:

Complexities relating to the information to be included in the management plan. A lack of clarity regarding who was responsible to develop a management plan for roaming (wild) elephants when their origin could not be readily determined.

Additional challenges

"In addition, certain provisions do not adequately specify whether they apply to wild or captive elephants," the department said.

This includes restrictive provisions relating to the import or export of live elephants, as no provision had been made for the export of captive elephants to captive facilities, such as exchanges between zoos.

"To address these potential problems, and streamline the implementation process, the DEA convened a general stakeholder consultation workshop on August 12 2014," the department said.

Additional challenges identified included there being no provision for methods of euthanasia and the need to ensure norms and standards provisions were aligned with the threatened or protected species regulations involving elephants.

"Discussions from the above-mentioned workshop as well as submissions received from stakeholders will inform the amendment of the Elephant Norms and Standards."

The draft revised norms and standards would be gazetted in 2015.

"This will provide further opportunity for interested and affected parties to participate in the process," the department said.

"It is important to note that proposed amendments to the norms and standards are not unique, but form part of the regular process of revision of departmental regulations, in response to prevailing conditions."

- SAPA


Post Reply

Return to “Elephant Management and Poaching”