Freedom fighters in jumbo protest

ROBERT CHARLES/Taranaki Daily News

JUMBO JOB: New Plymouth schoolgirls Kimberley Sutton, left, and Briana Sullivan, both 14, are leading the protest against keeping Jumbo the elephant in the circus this Saturday.

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A pair of New Plymouth schoolgirls have taken on the mammoth task of freeing New Zealand's only remaining circus elephant.

Jumbo, the lady in question, is touring Taranaki with the Loritz Circus Out of Africa this month and her first New Plymouth show opens tonight.

But the circus says Jumbo is happy and healthy and that there is nowhere the elephant can go.

Controversy has followed the 36-year-old African elephant around the country after animal welfare group Save Animals From Exploitation (Safe) began campaigning last year, saying she is suffering and should be set free.

New Plymouth's Sacred Heart Girls' College students Briana Sullivan and Kimberley Sutton, both 14, decided to stage a protest locally after doing research.

"I've seen her trailer and it's practically the same size as her," Briana said.

"It's cruel to keep her like that  we want her put in a sanctuary where she can walk around."

The girls say Safe is right and Jumbo should at least have another elephant for companionship.

They suggested Jumbo could go to Auckland Zoo and take the place of Kashin, the zoo's oldest elephant, who died this week.

But Loritz marketing manager Paul Johnson said Jumbo couldn't go to Auckland Zoo as she was an African elephant who wouldn't mix well with the remaining Asian elephant there.

He told the Taranaki Daily News yesterday Jumbo was a happy, healthy elephant who was treated well by the circus.

"We have taken on Jumbo's welfare when no-one else would take her and we look after her," Mr Johnson said. "Our intentions are to retire Jumbo but at the moment there's nowhere for her to go  it's not a financial thing."

Loritz is working with several groups to work out what would be best for Jumbo.

The protest for Jumbo will be held this Saturday at 1pm at the New Plymouth racecourse near the playground.

- © Fairfax NZ News