PREN has subsequently received concerning information and images allegedly taken at Adventures with Elephants which seem to contradict the aforementioned website information about how this facility respects and cares for the elephants in their care.
PREN is urgently appealing to the Environmental Compliance and Enforcement at the Limpopo Department of Economic Development, Environment and Tourism (LEDET) and to the NSPCA to confirm the validity of this concerning information and to offer sound explanation thereof forthwith.
Read the letter of concern:
There are apparently seven resident elephant at Adventures with Elephants, these include the previously mentioned Mussina, and her calf Bela, Shan and her calf Zambezi, Naunedi a female elephant and Chova and Chishuru who are the two bull elephants.
According to the information received, Chishuru who has allegedly been used for commercials because he is a beautiful elephant, went ‘rogue’ after receiving a GnRH vaccine treatment. Allegedly he chased his handlers and would not listen to them. He would occasionally raid the food storage, tear up water pipes or simply go join the rest of the herd wherever they were on the property.
Further, according to the information received by PREN in order to control Chishuru the staff were instructed to tie him up because it was believed that he may be a danger to the staff or paying guests. Allegedly the staff have been instructed to attempt to retrain Chishuru and introduce him back to the public for interactions instead of having to send him away.
In 2022, elephants named Tswale and Modjadji were tethered on a property in Mpumalanga where they were being advertised and utilised in the captive elephant industry for human elephant interactions. They were spooked and tried to break free from their tethers. Modjadji was seriously injured as a result and had to be euthanized. This a prime example of why elephants should not be tethered. A urgent solution must be found for Chishuru.
Contact: administrator@proelephantnetwork.org