THE FACTS
Previous History
In 1996, Agricultural and Livestock Service in Arica
Afterwards, the elephant is transferred by Las Águilas Humanas to Quilpué Zoo in 1998 and keeping to date the same illegal status without proving legal origin and not existing willing at all by the authority to regularize it.
Behind this supposed rescue there was a clearly profitable aim, since neither the conservation, the investigation, nor the education have been the reasons that have justified the remain of the pachyderm in the facilities of the Quilpué Zoo (nowadays, the remains).
Failure in the duty of care
In May 2011 the complainant organizations start following the tenancy conditions of Frida the elephant at the Quilpué Zoo to see the possibilities to transfer Ramba the elephant (Circo Los Tachuelas) to those facilities. Afterwards circumstances (such as the passivity by the Mayor and the Zoo Director to Frida’s health deterioriation).
The preliminar observations were done by Wildlife Doctor (with 40 years of experience on elephants in captivity and assistant for different international conservation programs), Mr. Melvyn Richardson, who personally told the staff and Quilpué Zoo Director, his concern about Frida’s diet and the dramatic weight loss, for which he recommended to “feed her to satiation” and after seeing the precarious shelter, the need of adding “supplementary heating” at night.
In June this year, the organization ECOPOLIS, presented at Quilpué Zoo, a technical proposal of environmental modification for Frida. However, there was not answer from the City Hall, neither improved conditions in any of the proposed aspects. It was stressed the need of applying these modifications urgently by the informants (See executive summary of Frida’s health reports).
In fact, Zoológico Metropolitano evaluated the state and conditions of tenancy of the pachyderm: an evaluation where 8 out of 10 items failed with a score lower than 50%. This evaluation was made for the purpose of determining whether the zoo has the minimum conditions to receive another Asian elephant existing in Chile
Frida’s shelter: every night a struggle not to freeze
Frida’s enclosure has been listed by all the professional as unable to provide a shelter in proper conditions even with heating, due to the completely open concrete construction. The heat leak makes impossible keep the required, constant and stable room temperature of 16 ºC (See executive summary of Frida’s health report)
Such facilities are not only open but the construction materials have failed to meet the standards of insulation. It does not have a drainage system, which is one of the main reasons of the humidity in the place worsening the conditions, besides the type of climate in the area with a winter that reaches subzero temperatures (if the pachyderm have no option to corner herself in an adequate temperature place suffers from severe hypothermia along with immune depression and a generalized health deterioration).
The facilities were deplorable in its general conditions (excessive humidity, lack of a drinking trough according the standards, inexistence of an area of handling and training for chiropody care among others) as well as specific ones such as the substratum of the yard or environment of the elephant was inadequate for her legs care and this is how it was described in june on a report by Zoológico Metropolitano. For years it was invariably kept the same type of substratum without making any change except the late ones after the requirement made by the Prosecutor’s Office of Quilpué due to the law suit for animal mistreatment (08/12/2011). A proof is the answer received by Oficina de Transparencia de la Armada de Chile (Chilean Navy’s Transparency Office Nº 12.900/110 FTA 09/12/2011) that states “ The Captaincy of the Port in Valparaíso received by e-mail on August 22nd 2011 an application from the Quilpué Zoo Director asking for permission to extract 8 truck loads of sand from the beach to improve the elephant’s environment.”
A complaint is presented to the Prosecutor’s Office in Quilpué
The civil organization of Quilpué, Empatía Animal, confirmed an increasing weakness of the elephant through many visits to the facilities during the winter months, noticing a progressive decay, her more visible bone structure, her hypo-reactivity to external stimulation. The observation was sent to the argentine expert Mr. Ariel Zabala.
On August 5th, the complainant (now plaintiff), joined by Mr. Ariel Damián Zabala, visit the exhibition enclosure, realizing the deplorable conditions the elephant was living in. The expert writes a report and this one is sent to the main local authority, councilors and SAG Regional Director (Agricultural and Livestock Service Regional Director), Mr. Pablo Vergara. There was no answer or notice of having received such information, even though, the Mayor of Quilpué and the Zoo Director are both responsible for specimen CITES I.
This report was also sent to the veterinarian of the Quilpué Zoo, Mr. Luis Carrasco.
On August 12th, a complaint was presented to the Prosecutor’s Office requesting to investigate these facts and prevent more deterioration in the elephant’s health and avoid her suffering. To date, in August, the City Hall has not sent any of the information required. At the same time, the main local authority, Mr. Mauricio Viñambres, tells the press and mass media that “the animal is in excellent conditions” and that he is confused not “understanding the reason why of the complaint.”
The last days of Frida the elephant: agony and death
Despite having a notorious weakness and a deficit in the environmental conditions (lack of supplementary and effective heat, excessive humidity, inexistent handling area, etc.), Frida is kept in permanent exhibition even until the same day she fell to rise no more. That is to say, there was no measures to reduce the fall risk. For instance, there was no drinking trough inside her enclosure (as it says on the standards about elephants in captivity). The elephant had to walk through the whole facility in order to drink water, approach a pool and go down the slope with a big difficulty to have access to the water.
In the last days of the animal’s life game items, such as tires and logs, were located inside the enclosure turning into a great risk of fall due to instability, weakness in her legs and probable loss of her sight.
On september 5th it was informed to the community Frida’s bad health conditions explaining that the seriousness is due to a terminal cancer and her elderly age. It is curious that the tuberculosis (chronic pathology) has been diagnosed just during the necropsy (which would prove the inexistence of preventive medicine).
There was no preventive, healing or palliative medicine
The specimen had to receive specialized care not only because of her category (CITES I specie), but also specific-specie care, which means, considering her age, condition, health and history. The Prosecutor’s Office Consultor Mr. Zabala as well as other professionals that were part of the Zoológico Metropolitano Evaluation Team disapproved the standard of Frida’s care by the Quilpué Zoo.
Certainly Frida died from a multisystemic failure caused by an aggravated tuberculosis that having been developed for at least 10 years, it was never diagnosed. It is a chronic pathology that, due to symptoms can warn about the existence of an illness. In other terms, blood tests and secretions would have been enough to detect the reason why of the notorious and progressive weight loss. Frida agonized for weeks and the zoo was unable to request help to attend her clinically and they never asked for support to euthanize her (carried out under questionable conditions).
THERE WAS NO PROPER SUPERVISION BY SAG
With the existence of a ban for the commercial use of specimens of this specie (in danger of extinction, CITES I), plus the fact that Frida entered Chile illegally and was acquired by the Quilpué City Hall in the same conditions (no documents that prove her legal origin, which means, CITES certificates), SAG allowed the Zoo to keep her in exhibition (commercial use) until the same day she fell to the ground.
SAG should have applied the penalty by law for “improper trade”, severe and reiterative infringement of the standards that push for specific temperature and humidity conditions for the elephants in captivity. Far from achieving it, these ones were ignored systematically with a damage sequel to the animal’s health (immune depression, multiple edemas, bad-shape legs, chronic pathologies not diagnosed or only diagnosed at the moment of practicing the necropsy of the pachyderm).
Servicio Agrícola y Ganadero (SAG, Agriculturan and Livestock Service) according to the Hunting Law, the CITES Agreement and the Animal Protection Law (that makes specific reference to the obligation by SAG of supervising the state of the facilities at the places where the animals are kept) had the tools to act in accordance with the Law but they did not. They will respond to the competent authorities and the community for this inexcusable omission.
Ecópolis Disciplinas Integradas
Translation: Germania Osorio
THE REAL REASON WHY FRIDA WAS EUTHANIZED
Frida was not euthanized due to a terminal cancer.
Frida was put to sleep due to a fall (that could have been avoided) because of her extremely weak legs (for serious, repeated and inexcusable omission on the duties of health care by the zoo), which meant to enter a process of asphyxia (elephants cannot be lying on their lungs for a long time, since they do not have protected lungs like us humans). They left her agonizing for two days, yesterday and today, since she was euthanized behind closed doors in the late afternoon. A proof of this is that at 19 hrs her body was still warm and the mucous membrane was pink and without rigor mortis.
Regardless the recognition and respect for the animal rights mean the nonexistence of exhibition centers (because animals have their own reasons to exist); we are not going to leave the 800 animals of the Quilpué Zoo stranded . When we say “Justice for them”, we say we need a summary now; the responsible removed now, criminal investigation now. We use the tools available to protect the animals that have not received for 3 months regular supply of fruits and vegetables;
They are living a real famine and they only have us to defend them.
Due to the fall in the pool that was full of water (this pool should have been emptied at most in June according to experts, because, her weak legs were a main risk factor for an accident...a situation that came true) professionals from the Zoológico Metropolitano and Buinzoo were called urgently to help her and in the middle of the examination they noticed a huge lump in the stomach. The Director of the Quilpué Zoo, Mr. Mario Rivas, trying to make explanations about the reason why Frida had entered the pool area (where she slipped), stated that she approached the pool to drink water. The question is: Why did Frida not have a fountain in a safe area? And there are other questions that would take long to detail, but they are the ABC of elephant care in captivity.
The Mayor of Quilpué must respond for his statements, since just a few weeks ago he made sure that Frida was in “optimal conditions”...And now, Is the OFFICIAL STATEMENT THAT FRIDA WAS IN A TERMINAL STAGE OF A BRANCHED CANCER? SUCH AN INCONSISTENCY!!!!
ONG’S REPORT ANIMAL ABUSE OF THE STAR ELEPHANT FROM THE QUILPUÉ ZOO
THE REAL REASON WHY FRIDA WAS EUTHANIZED
Frida was not euthanized due to a terminal cancer.
Frida was put to sleep due to a fall (that could have been avoided) because of her extremely weak legs (for serious, repeated and inexcusable omission on the duties of health care by the zoo), which meant to enter a process of asphyxia (elephants cannot be lying on their lungs for a long time, since they do not have protected lungs like us humans). They left her agonizing for two days, yesterday and today, since she was euthanized behind closed doors in the late afternoon. A proof of this is that at 19 hrs her body was still warm and the mucous membrane was pink and without rigor mortis.
Regardless the recognition and respect for the animal rights mean the nonexistence of exhibition centers (because animals have their own reasons to exist); we are not going to leave the 800 animals of the Quilpué Zoo stranded . When we say “Justice for them”, we say we need a summary now; the responsible removed now, criminal investigation now. We use the tools available to protect the animals that have not received for 3 months regular supply of fruits and vegetables;
They are living a real famine and they only have us to defend them.
Due to the fall in the pool that was full of water (this pool should have been emptied at most in June according to experts, because, her weak legs were a main risk factor for an accident...a situation that came true) professionals from the Zoológico Metropolitano and Buinzoo were called urgently to help her and in the middle of the examination they noticed a huge lump in the stomach. The Director of the Quilpué Zoo, Mr. Mario Rivas, trying to make explanations about the reason why Frida had entered the pool area (where she slipped), stated that she approached the pool to drink water. The question is: Why did Frida not have a fountain in a safe area? And there are other questions that would take long to detail, but they are the ABC of elephant care in captivity.
The Mayor of Quilpué must respond for his statements, since just a few weeks ago he made sure that Frida was in “optimal conditions”...And now, Is the OFFICIAL STATEMENT THAT FRIDA WAS IN A TERMINAL STAGE OF A BRANCHED CANCER? SUCH AN INCONSISTENCY!!!!
ONG’S REPORT ANIMAL ABUSE OF THE STAR ELEPHANT FROM THE QUILPUÉ ZOO
By Liberen A Ramba on Friday, August 12th, 2011
Frida’s needs have been ignored and our duty is to demand welfare conditions for her, at least, the basic care the law demands. Our role as an NGO is not to turn a blind eye, but to warn the authority as necessary and there is no doubt that this is the case. This is how we gave the report about Frida to the highest authority of Quilpué and to each and all of the councilors, the Zoo Director and also the SAG Regional Director (Agricultural and Livestock Service Regional Director) and, from today, 12th of August, the Prosecutor’s Office, which reminds us of the road we had to follow to rescue Ramba from Los Tachuelas Circus.
Groups Empatía Animal and Ecópolis Disciplinas Integradas made the decision of reporting after four months (May to August) of comprehensive monitoring of the specimen tenancy’s state and conditions; confirming that all the alerts given by the experts who have seen her have been systematically ignored by the ones who have the duty of looking after her.
“For all the animal rights organizations it is a duty to report, whether it is a circus or a zoo, nobody is above the law. FRIDA needs a diagnosis and urgent medical treatment, since her life is in danger. The Quilpué Zoo have shown neither the capability nor the resources to provide Frida welfare and SAG is aware of this situation”, Florencia Trujillo, Ecópolis Director, says. Ecópolis is the NGO that promotes the campaign Free Ramba, elephant that has got a better luck, since she will be soon transferred to her new temporary environment built especially at Parque Safari (Rancagua
“Frida belongs to a specie in danger of extinction (Elephas maximus), the zoo, far from granting her welfare, just took advantage on her. How come that so far there is no clinical evaluation about her bad physical condition, and the most important, a medical treatment?!”, Claudia Sanhueza, Empatía Animal President, stated. The organization became known in Quilpué due to the spaying and defense of the community dogs, responsible pet tenancy days and pet adoptions of Ciudad del Sol.
“Among all the cases of pachyderms known in South America , this is the one in the worst conditions! Probably, she’s a ton below her normal weight according to her size and age; the humidity is killing her”, Ariel Zabala, the expert on elephants, noted with surprise..
This report’s aim is to ask the Prosecutor’s Office to help FRIDA, apply the CITES agreement for her benefit and, as soon as possible, arrange her transfer to a proper place the same way it has been done with Ramba. “Immediately we asked for FRIDA’s medical aid under the article 12 of the Law 20.380 about Animal Protection”, the complainants explained.
The report adds information related to the legal situation of the current FRIDA’s holders, “she does not have documents of origin, which means that I. Municipalidad de Quilpué (Quilpué Mayor City Hall
FRIDA is literally bones and has a huge weakness in her legs. Trying to justify such state of neglect with the sentence “it’s because she’s old and suffered too much with the circus” shows a lack of interest and profound ignorance about her needs.
CHRONOLOGY OF EVENTS:
MAY:
- Dr. Mel Richardson, expert on elephants with 40 years of experience: “Frida is underweight, they have to allow her to eat to satiety and enrich her diet now. If Quilpué Zoo makes the necessary changes on her diet as well as on the main facilities it’s possible to think of Frida and Ramba’s meeting.”
JUNE:
- Metropolitan Zoo’s evaluation (according to the evaluation’s protocol of big mammals in captivity):
the mitigation measures against cold are not the proper ones
since the shelter is open
and the heating system is insufficient and ineffective.
In the field it is found that both feces and other garbage
are accumulated outside the fences next to the visitors."
- “The animal sheltered by the institution is in poor body conditions, due to the view of the pelvis bone at simple sight and the pronounced iliac fossa , visible scapula bone, depression of the temporal bone and flank depression, both of them visible".
- Ecópolis gives the
- Empatía Animal confirms in the field the extreme decay and weakness of FRIDA the elephant as well as the huge humidity in the place (graphical testimony, see attached file).
- New report by Ariel Zabala, Animal Husbandry engineer, expert on elephants and consultant for the Prosecutor’s Office, sounds the alarm about FRIDA’s serious condition and the lack of minimum welfare conditions for elephants in captivity. He requests diagnosis and urgent measures. He added that the zoo does not accomplish the minimum requirements established by Asociación Latinoamericana de Parques Zoológicos y Acuarios (ALPZA, Latin American Society of Zoo Parks and Aquariums)
Measures to be taken NOW!!!!:
· URGENT intervention by interdisciplinary teams of veterinarians, biologists, ethologists, nutritionists and experts on the subject to determine an immediate diagnosis and consequent sanitary treatment.
· Give her at discretion a variety of food with high nutritional value to achieve body mass according to the specie.
· Modify AS SOON AS POSSIBLE the structure of the shelter (bedroom) according to the statutes defined by the different Latin American and international associations that assemble zoos, parks and related (ALPZA and WAZA).
The story of FRIDA: Abuse and Illegality
She lived under itinerant conditions in the hands of different circuses, she entered the country illegally. Since she suffered a serious accident because the circus truck where she was transported rolled over, they could not control her due to a breakdown along with the eternal fettering she was submitted to; experience that brought her sequelaes until today.
The last circus that exhibited her was Aguilas Humanas, that gave her up to the Quilpué Zoo, place that turned her into their star specimen within their zoo collection, permanently exhibited since 1997 (it does not count on a proper environment of voluntary isolation as the statutes request)
When it comes to a specie in danger of extinction (CITES I), it is the State of Chile Municipality of Quilpué
In 14 years the facilities have been kept the same way, the bedroom is a real freezer of humid concrete, it does not count on the specialized care for this specie in danger of extinction and protected by international agreements (CITES). The Quilpué Zoo failed all the evaluations by local and international professionals from Sanctuaries, institutions and the national zoo made.
Why did Ecópolis lead in the begining the idea of taking Ramba to Quilpué?
"Because, actually, the best is to gather them..
The eventual transfer of Ramba to Quilpué would have meant to reformulate the environment of the Quilpué Zoo in the benefit of both elephants. However, the modifications that the zoo in Quilpué required, along with the change in the conditions of tenancy, were never achieved since Ramba’s reception by the Mayor of Quilpué, Mr. Mauricio Viñambres, was always conditioned by the direct financing of Servicio Agrícola y Ganadero, SAG, a situation that never happened.
Once definitely dismissed the Quilpué option for Ramba, we were confirming as months went by that Frida’s conditions were not much different from Ramba’s”, explained Pilar Yáñez, Ecópolis President.
RAMBA and FRIDA: Parallel Stories
Ramba and Frida are almost the same age (55-60 years old). Both were victims of animal trafficking and exploited for decades by chilean and foreign circuses. Ramba was seized in 1997, but remained in the hands of the same offenders until the 22nd of july 2011 when the 2nd Juzgado de Garantía de San Bernardo (Guarantee Court of San Bernardo) sentenced the seizure and transfer to Rancagua
It is highly probable that Ramba and Frida come from the same Asian elephants breeders, maybe they are sisters or cousins from the same herd. Both have suffered a life of itinerant captivity; they were stolen from their mothers to learn the the circus pirouettes and from a very young age trained with widely known cruel techniques. At a certain point their lives were separated. Today Frida lives in a place whose custodians have not proved the legal origin of the animal and call themselves her saviors. The evidence show that Frida is the one that saves the Quilpué Zoo every month as a star specimen of their collection.
In a few days more Ramba will be transferred to an environment especially built for her: 11.400 square meters , with a bedroom whose temperature at night will be no lower than 15 ºC (celsius) and whose construction meets the international standards, made with repellent materials against humidity, filled with expanded polystyrene, with fluid drainage system, a yard that counts with enriched environmental elements, with an artificial lagoon, etc. The Elephant Sanctuary from Tennessee
Ramba and Frida should never have left the herd. Decades ago they arrived in Chile
