New permits for captive animals
Over the years Ezemvelo has repeatedly discovered many circumstances where animals’ basic needs were not catered for.
EZEMVELO KZN Wildlife’s Board has approved and adopted a new set of guidelines that people and businesses keeping – or intending to keep – wild animals in captivity will now need to consider.
These will come into operation on 1 January, 2014.
Following an exhaustive, six-year long public consultation process, Dr Jean Harris, head of Ezemvelo’s Scientific Services said the real sense of accomplishment came from the vast majority of vested interests in KZN who helped compile these conditions.
‘We encouraged an interactive process where people involved in the various categories of the captive wild animal industry could contribute to our framing these more humane terms and conditions.
‘Not only have they willingly engaged in this process but in a number of cases actually contributed towards the writing of these conditions,’ she said.
The ‘Standard Terms and Conditions’ have been hailed as ‘pioneering’, the first set of standards ever devised in South Africa for keeping wild animals in captivity.
Following the Board’s approval, the new standards apply to such considerations as the size of enclosures, the physical treatment of wild animals and their use for commercial gain.
‘As they embrace a collective psychology of compassion, we are confident that this more progressive sense of animal husbandry will filter through to other conservation agencies in South Africa.’
Dr Bandile Mkhize, ‘Ezemvelo’s’ CEO, was adamant that his organisation had done everything possible over the years to address their own and South African citizens long-standing concerns about examples of abuse and cruelty of wild animals in captivity in KZN.
‘It’s a travesty that many animals had to continue to suffer in appalling conditions for over six years while we resisted efforts of a few to halt the drafting process. But that is behind us now.’
Dr Harris said the absence of such standards in SA was in stark contrast to countries such as the UK, Australia and EU countries.
‘Except in the case of falconry, the captive animal ‘industry’ in our country has not developed standards or created systems where self-regulation is effective.
‘This is especially problematic when the keeping of animals is commercially motivated.’
Over the years Ezemvelo has repeatedly discovered many circumstances where animals’ basic needs were not catered for.
‘That is why these conditions now speak to elementary considerations such as providing clean drink water at all times, supplying appropriate and sufficient food, not subjecting animals to physical abuse (such as beating or chaining of animals) or solitary confinement of social species.
‘They also specify the minimum size and design of enclosures and the minimum furnishings for animal’s behavioural needs as well as preventing over-crowding.’
The new ‘Terms and Conditions’ have been posted on the Ezemvelo web site (www.kznwildlife.com).
People can download the document and gain a full understanding of the application process.
It allows existing permit or licence holders reasonable time for them to upgrade their facilities in order to comply with the new terms.
Maybe they can now confiscate Opal, the Orangutan at Brian Boswell’s nightmare zoo/lion park outside Pietermaritzburg now as she has been alone for much of her 30 odd years since her parents died. We need to get her to a suitable sanctuary where she can interact with other orangutans rather than use an empty plastic Coke bottle as a pacifier.
wonderful wonderful news
I hope this will become national policy, and be extended to include parrots, such as African Grey parrots and budgerigars.
These flighted and social beings are forced to live long flightless lives of solitary confinement.
Bottom line wild animals should be released with IMMEDIATE EFFECT as they should have been done years ago at the Lion Park in Camperdown. KZN Wildlife should have the authority to do it immediately as it is the most ludicrous and tragic thing to be keeping lions tigers elephants and any other wildlife under the conditions those animals are being kept under. How do u sleep at night? Have u watched those elephants? Its normal for them to be in such a confined space with no shade or vegetation to eat and to just spend their lives swaying from side to side. What about the appalling conditions of those chimps for years after so many complaints were lodged? What about the other animals in appalling condtions at Lion Park Zoo. That poor orangutang that has been there for as long as I can remember. Shame on you. Lets hope the new laws make a difference and quickly!!!!
It is about bloody time so well done all you guys who have fought so hard for this! I would love to know how you intend to enforce this though. We have too many ‘private’ zoos and wildlife game ranches that might just hide in plain sight from the law as they always seem to manage to do. To bring something else to your attention which might interest you – places like Besters Bird World near Pretoria should be looked at. He keeps animals in appalling conditions and ‘rents’ them to filmmakers to use on set when close-ups etc are needed. He doesn’t supply an animal handler/carer with the animals nor as far as I know, a care sheet detailing just how these film ‘extras’ should be cared for by the filmmakers (who don’t know either). He also rents his animals out to the entertainment industry – advertising etc etc….they are handled and filmed for hours on end without proper handlers or rules that give the creatures a proper break etc etc. On paper this is awesome! The fact that the basic 5 freedoms are not law here is seriously disturbing but this works on paper – will it work in the field? Are there enough inspectors to make it work and bring people to court to be tried/fined/prosecuted if they should be? I hope so but I wonder. Well done anyway and best of luck – can the public help in any practical way that would help enforcers of these guidelines perhaps?
Congratulations to Dr. Jean Harris and her team – you will have our full support at our sanctuary, TUMBILI ! Jean, I will contact you next week concerning a number of issues that have had us seriously concerned regarding Primates in captivity! We are just happy that the new amended draft has been gazetted – 2014 is going to be a positive year for all our precious, sentient souls!