Zimbabwe sent 30 baby elephants to China, to dismay of animal rights groups

Young elephants, between two to six years old, were separated from maternal herds and will be put in Chinese zoos or circuses

Task force that visited facilities in China in 2016 concluded they were not ready to receive the animals

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Young elephants being held in a fenced area in the Hwange Game Reserve in Zimbabwe on October 18. Photo: HSI/Africa via AP

Published: 7:16am, 26 Oct 2019Updated: 9:17pm, 26 Oct 2019

Zimbabwe has sent about 30 young elephants to China where they will be held in zoos, according to Humane Society International.

The elephants, estimated to be two to six years old, were separated from maternal herds and held at Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park for nearly a year before being flown out this week, the organisation said.

“We are left feeling outraged and heartbroken at this news that the Zimbabwean authorities have shipped these poor baby elephants out of the country,” said Audrey Delsink, wildlife director of Humane Society International.

“Condemning these elephants to a life of captivity in Chinese zoos is a tragedy. We and others have been working for months to try and stop these elephants from being shipped because all that awaits them in China is a life of monotonous deprivation in zoos or circuses,” Delsink said. “As an elephant biologist used to observing these magnificent animals in their natural wild habitat, I am devastated by this outcome.”

The Humane Society released a video and photos which it said shows the small elephants a week ago being held in a fenced in area at Hwange National Park.