Germans say no to culling (South Africa)
Germans say no to culling (South Africa)
Sheree Béga, Independent Online
June 28 2008
When German doctor Annelie Forbriger read about South Africa's decision to lift a 13-year moratorium on elephant culling, she decided to canvass the support of more than 1 000 of her fellow citizens to oppose it.
The result is a letter of protest from the German citizens to the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, criticising Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk for its reintroduction.
In the letter, released this week by People for Animal Rights in Germany, Forbriger's signatories told the department they would not visit parks and reserves in SA to "watch animals that may be slaughtered".
"I don't think culling is necessary," Forbriger told the Saturday Star. "Elephants are highly intelligent and sensitive, and in some aspects similar to us as human beings."
The letter urges Van Schalkwyk to introduce scientifically approved, reasonable and humane strategies to "address possible problems in the few areas where elephants are impacting negatively on localised habitats".
But the department's spokesperson Mava Scott said culling was a last resort when options including translocation and migration corridors had failed.
No elephants had been culled since these regulations came into effect on May 1, South African National Parks added.
Article at the following link:
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=143&art_id=vn20080628103445929C347887
Sheree Béga, Independent Online
June 28 2008
When German doctor Annelie Forbriger read about South Africa's decision to lift a 13-year moratorium on elephant culling, she decided to canvass the support of more than 1 000 of her fellow citizens to oppose it.
The result is a letter of protest from the German citizens to the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, criticising Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk for its reintroduction.
In the letter, released this week by People for Animal Rights in Germany, Forbriger's signatories told the department they would not visit parks and reserves in SA to "watch animals that may be slaughtered".
"I don't think culling is necessary," Forbriger told the Saturday Star. "Elephants are highly intelligent and sensitive, and in some aspects similar to us as human beings."
The letter urges Van Schalkwyk to introduce scientifically approved, reasonable and humane strategies to "address possible problems in the few areas where elephants are impacting negatively on localised habitats".
But the department's spokesperson Mava Scott said culling was a last resort when options including translocation and migration corridors had failed.
No elephants had been culled since these regulations came into effect on May 1, South African National Parks added.
Article at the following link:
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=143&art_id=vn20080628103445929C347887