ELEPHANTS
AT THE JOHANNESBURG ZOO:
Litigation:
RE-WILD
THE ANIMALS
HIGH
COURT MATTER CASE NUMBER
ISSUED
20 JUNE 2022
There is a court case in Pretoria High Court about the “repatriation” of
three elephants on the go. The applicants are seeking a court order, inter
alia, that the three elephants be relocated, rehabilitated and re-wilding in
accordance with a relocation and reintegration plan to be prepared somewhere in
the future.
No, it is not a joke! These guys are dead serious about what they are doing.
And, when I look at their court documents, I stand in awe about their papers.
This matter broke 20 June 2022, but was in preparation for a number of
years: the matter about the three elephants at the Johannesburg Zoo: their
names are Lammie, Mopani & Ramadiba.
What on earth is going on with these three?
Looking at your children’s books about Ellies, they are supposed to be
carefree and happy. And they are also supposed to be freely approachable and
foremost, they are oh so cuddly!!
Were they not kept for the public’s “pleasure”, education and for
scientific research?
Were these three not happy and contented and in safe keeping?
Little children from the surrounding schools and even further away are
driven there in their busloads to look at these animals whom most of the children
will never have the occasion to even have a glimpse in their wild state.
Having had a look at the voluminous papers, and a video that went viral
about Lammie being stressed out, it seems that all is not well at this Zoo with
Lammie, Mopani & Ramadiba. There are allegations that they suffer stress,
mental fatigue and a host of other things; well, this is according to the court
documents. And you may be sure that the experts employed by the applicants have
engaged with the animals, and hordes of other people.
You have access to the Applicants papers [these consist of hundreds and hundreds
of pages and learned language and arguments] that were published on the website
of ANIMAL LAW REFORM IN THE RSA; click here.
The High Court papers [so far the only papers that are published] with an official statement can be found here: click here.
If, however, you are interested to read the applicants court documents, you may click here:.
Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4 & Part 5:
When reading the website, blog and the court documents, I am very impressed
with the depth of the research that is displayed in the documents. It is an
impressive array of experts and their research not only in connection with elephants
internationally, but about these three in the local Zoo: Lammie, Mopani and
Ramadiba.
I am rather curious about how the Zoo [I refer to the Respondents] will react
and I trust the Applicants will disclose those papers as diligently as they
published their papers. I have learnt that you should never underestimate your
opponent[s] in law, because if you do, you might get a very nasty surprise.
Having said that, I am no way even suggesting that these applicants under
estimate their opponents. You just have to glance at their court documents then
you will realise the enormity of the case that is waiting to unfold.
I don’t want to refer to the opponents as “wily old foxes” – no not at
all. But beware of them. They are internationally well connected and it is not
the first case of this sort to come to terms with.
I will keep my eye on this one and will report on it as it develops –
stay tuned for updates on a hugely interesting one, and a hugely important one.
Please write me an e-mail and tell me what do you think? Release or not
to release? My e-address: neelscoertse@wirelessza.co.za
