Target: Alpha Conde, Assembly Chair, African Union
Goal: Stop forcing elephants to give tourists rides in all African Union nations.
A bull elephant named Mbanje was shot using high-velocity bullets after he killed his handler in the Victoria Falls region of Zimbabwe. The elephant was trained to give rides to humans through Adventure Zone, a company catering to tourists in the region. The time has come to put an end to this industry, which is built on the abuse and neglect of these intelligent creatures.
Mbanje, who was around 30 years old, had been working with his handler for over a decade before the fatal attack. Although the owner of Adventure Zone claims he is “drawing blanks” over what could have caused Mbanje to lash out, we do know that attacks by elephants on handlers are not uncommon and are likely linked to the years of abuse these animals must endure as part of their training.
Elephants in the tourist industry are usually kidnapped from their families at young ages and are conditioned into giving rides or performing other demeaning tricks through neglect and frequent beatings that force them into submission. The fact that some later “snap” and attack their handlers, or other humans, is not surprising given the fact these animals are so sensitive and highly intelligent.
Elephants belong in the wild within their tightly woven family groups. Sign this petition to urge the head of the African Union to push for a ban on all elephant rides across Africa.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Chairman Conde,
Elephants in various parts of Africa are forced to give rides and perform tricks for the entertainment of tourists. The abuse that these creatures must sustain as part of their training can lead to deadly results, as seen with the recent killing of a handler in Zimbabwe. These tragedies are not uncommon and reflect the fact that this industry is cruel and must be brought to an end.
Elephants who are forced to give rides endure years of abuse and are usually kidnapped from wild herds at very young ages. Not only is this practice inhumane, but it is detrimental to conservation efforts across the continent. We urge you to safeguard both elephants and humans and call for a ban on elephant rides in all African Union nations.
Sincerely,
[Your Name here]
Photo Credit: Terry Fueurborn
the great elephants have had enough of the overworking of them now. end the elephant rides now.
HANG ALL ANIMAL ABUSERS !
The poor elephants are not only overworked, but are usually severely abused in this horrible industry. The abuse is often torture, and it is not surprising that an animal would eventually kill his or her torturer after many years of enduring it.
What bothers me as well is that they killed the poor elephant. And that they are acting all innocent as if they can’t imagine why Mbanje would attack his torturer I mean trainer.
The horrible practice of killing any animal who kills a person dates back to the bronze age, or biblical times, where they considered the animal to be “evil” if he or she killed a person. It’s time to stop being ignorant savage barbarians and realize that animals who kill people have often been tormented by these people for many years. And that they have been driven almost insane by the torture.
God bless Mbanje- the handler can rot in hell
Mbanje should have been rescued – not killed – and taken to a sanctuary where he could heal from all his years of torture.
Agree completely
Totally agree
Elephants are abused, subject to severe cruelty if they don’t comply with the wishes of its “owner” (I put that in quotation marks as nobody has the right to own a wild animal) and this elephant paid the ultimate price. To my mind its “owner” should receive the death penalty, as should all abusers, poachers and hunters! NOBODY SHOULD RIDE AN ELEPHANT ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD THEY ARE SUBJECTED TO THE MOST HORRIFIC ABUSE JUST TO GIVE YOU A FEW MOMENTS OF “PLEASURE” Ban these rides now.
Oh I see the handler was killed by the elephant so he did receive the death penalty – a disgrace that someone killed the elephant protecting himself from such cruel and inhumane acts!
Assholes!!! What exactly did they expect the MAGNIFICENT ELEPHANT to do to the CUR, the piece of shit, the scumbag, the filth that tortured it for years!!!??? Then they MURDER the elephant? I hope they and all like them die a long and grisly death for this. Elephants and other wild animals DO NOT BELONG ENTERTAINING US!!! They should NOT BE MURDERED especially for the amazingly stupid reasons like pseudo medicines. Humanity or should I say INHUMANITY disgusts me for the horrible manner in which we mistreat all other animals on this planet. Perhaps it is our turn to go extinct!
Stop cruelty to elephants, please.
Enough using and abusing animals to feed our greed.
Elephant abuse should be one of the heaviest punishable crimes known they are so wonderful I hate animal abusers of any kind it just shows that these people have a very hard time getting along with humans so they take it out on animals who give love when given to them
Let elephants live their lifes: they are not entertaining! They deserve respect and care for us. They are an endangered species and we must take care of them. Also they are so gentle and wise, unless you hurt them, that they defend themselves.
Animals are not on this earth for our mindless amusement-End All Animal Abuse & Cruelty, NOW!
So SICKENING TO USE, ABUSE FOR SO MANY YEARS, ROBBING THIS MAGNIFICENT ELEPHANT OF HIS ENTIRE NATURAL GOD GIVEN LIFE, FOR THE GREED AND PROFIT FOR A INHUMANE LESS THEN HUMANE BEING!!! WAKE UP AND LEARN FROM THIS NEEDLESS SLOW TORTURE OF NOW A WASTED LIFE AND NOW ALL BECAUSE THE ELEPHANT HAD A MOMENT TO EXPRESS HIS ANGER OF A LIFE TIME OF ABUSE!!!! I ONLY REGRET THAT THE ELEPHANT GAVE UP SO MUCH OF IT’S LIFE AND DIDN’T KILL HIS ABUSER LONG AGO! HE WOULD HAVE NOT NEEDED TO SUFFER AS LONG AS HE DID! HOW DO YOU JUSTIFY KILLING A VICTIM IS BEYOND ME! IT’S LIKE ABUSING A DOG,OR HUMAN FOR YEARS AND IF THEY SNAP AND CAUSE HARM YOU WOULD KILL THEM!!! IT’S THEIR KARMA RETURNING! STOP ALLOWING THESE ELEPHANTS TO BE KIDNAPPED AND SLAVES FOR ANY ENTERTAINMENT NOW!!!!
BAN ALL ELEPHANTS RIDES NOW & FOREVERMORE! Ban all other animals giving people rides too! Animal Cruelty needs to end forever everywhere IMMEDIATELY!!!!!
Nature treats back now
Take responsibility for your cruelty
Take responsibility for your Being on Earth
The elephants asshole trainer needs to be taught a lesson I hope you f****** died from the elephant attacking him cuz he was a real piece of s*** if he didn’t I’d like to spend a few minutes with him that I could beat the living f*** out of this prick I’ll beat him up so bad he won’t even make it alive to the hospital piece of s*** please leave the poor elephant alone you f****** a******
But you do not say if Mbanje was killed or simply hurt. Please update. Sad.
The elephant had to die because he was tired of the dominance of humans. He lashed out and paid the ultimate price. Humans are such scum when it comes to innocent animals.
Stop the abuse. The human garbage that handled this magnificent creature got what he deserved. This is pure animal abuse for profit and dumb ass tourists.This elephant didn’t deserve to die.
This is wrong on so many levels. First, elephants should not be confined and used for entertainment. Second, this poor elephant was probably beaten his entire life and was fed up. Yes he killed his trainer but after being abused by him his entire life, he had enough. The elephant should not have been killed but instead sent to a sanctuary. He served his prison sentence ( but committed no crime) and should have lived out the rest of his life in Peace. SHAME ON YOU for killing him ;(