Dear John,
It’s Super Bowl weekend–which means the Honolulu Zoo is again using elephants Mari and Vaigai in a marketing gimmick to “predict” the winner and provide entertainment to zoo patrons and members of the community. Run a Google search for “Honolulu Zoo elephants” and you’ll see all the news stories, packaged as light weekend entertainment, where Vaigai is presented with a choice between two watermelons, each carved with a team logo.
But there’s nothing entertaining about the elephants’ reality, and choosing between one watermelon and another (while a crowd cheers and a zookeeper dressed as a referee looks on) is about all the choice Mari and Vaigai have. Held captive in a barren, unnatural environment, these self-aware, autonomous beings have no freedom, no herd, nothing to explore, no rest from their lives on display. Essentially, their enrichment consists of rock structures that serve as feeding stations. Mari and Vaigai deserve autonomy, not exploitation: dignity, not degrading gimmicks. You can help by using our action alert to send a message to the director of the Honolulu Zoo, urging her to release Mari and Vaigai to an elephant sanctuary.
|
Our elephant rights case on Mari and Vaigai’s behalf is currently working its way through the Hawaii courts, and we expect a hearing sometime this year. Of course, the Honolulu Zoo doesn’t need a court order to do the right thing for these elephants, which is one reason your advocacy is so important. Stay tuned for additional ways you can help. Thank you! Courtney Fern
Director of Government Relations, the NhRP |
