Circus elephant in the middle of jumbo row

Personally i could not agree more with SAFE its bloody cruel to do this to the elephant its not meant for those restrictive conditions should be in the wild with other elephants doing what it wants to do , people in comments posted above say the elephant is aloud to roam freely that is not true its not free to do what it wants to do at all !!! this is a helpless and mute/dumb animal and can not speak for itself and relys solely upon organisations like SAFE to protect animal rights because they can not do it for themselves, the circus is a giant money making scheme and we as human beings are validating and condoning such creulty to animals by buying tickets and attending the circus its not right where has humanity gone?? everytime i have driven past hayley park and seen that poor elephant i feel sick and think to myself that poor Elephant its all about morals, beleifs and values and it appears many human beings lack all of the above i think its so morally wrong i have made my stand and refused to go and see any circus and i never will because i stand by what i believe in so next time you contemplate going to a circus give some thought to the animals who have lost thier right to live a free naturally instinctive life but who are imprisoned by a money greedy world !!!!

In response to #5

You seem to know a lot about the animal in question do you work close with the circus? You have put forward a hypothetical question, quote "who is to say he wasn't rescued from miss treatment and now been given a better life" this has not put well feeling's that the animal is being treated well. It is not SAFE's responsibility to save this animal, the circus has taken in the elephant and therefore has moral responsibilities of putting him/her back into the wild or a sanctuary. On a final note, in regards to your closing comment, "maybe it should have been left in the old circus and the conditions it was in!!!" just reiterates our doubts about the elephants welfare, hence the reason we will NO longer be attending the show. Just an average Joe and public point of view.

In response to your claims of head butting the trailer, this would be normal, in the wild elephants do this in the wild to knock down trees for food. As to the claims he has been ripped away from his mother who is to say he wasn't rescued from miss treatment and now been given a better life??

As per the original article, SAFE were given the option to come up with a solution for the elephant but were unable to do so, so they are happy to stand there protesting but wont help with the problem, the Loritz Circus are doing there best to give the elephant a better life, new trailer, new run for it to Rome around at free will, not put into the whole show??? maybe it should have been left with the old circus and the conditions it was in!!

Perhaps SAFE is over reacting but who gives humans the right to rip a young elephant away from her Mother and family group so we can lock her up for entertainment purposes? Elephants are beautiful and majestic creatures that live in very large family groups and travel hundreds of kilometres in their very long lives. African Elephants can live up to 70 years or even longer. Are we going to deprive this animal the right to live out the rest of her life in a sanctuary with other elephants? The circus does not appear to ???Need??? her anymore as they state that she only makes a very small appearance. Why did they not then put the money that they claim they invested in making her a new trailer and instead use that money to transport/find her a sanctuary to live in? I went to Hagley Park myself and witnessed her swaying from side to side and then she would smash her head into the side of the trailer ??? this is not normal elephant behaviour. This is a sign of psychological problems because she has been locked up for thirty years. How can we deny her the one thing that she truly deserves the most ??? freedom... What gives us the right?

Perhaps SAFE is over reacting to this elephant's plight. The article does say that Jumbo is a 30 year veteran of the circus so the question to ask is, why are SAFE suddenly protesting now? What of other animals in the circus, are they being mistreated in the eyes of SAFE, also? As for the elephant swaying from foot-to-foot as a sign of frustration or to stop becoming tired, as I am not an expert in the habits of elephants or any other animal,for that matter, I couldn't even begin to guess why Jumbo rocks from side-to-side. Perhaps there's some tune or song from her days of roaming the African prairies that she remembers, after all, aren't elephants suppose to have long memories? I tend to think the whole thing is a storm in a tea cup and until SAFE comes up with some concrete evidence of maltreatment, the entire issue is moot.

Just like Greenpeace and whales, I think SAFE are on a publicity campain.

I have seen the Elephants in the wild in Africa and she is just as curious as them if less shy, it took no time for her to sniff me and concider me non-threatning and aproach. Africa in a vehicle it was 15 to 20 minutes (we were still) before the Elephant approached to have a look and any movement scared the wild elephant.

To have looked after an Elephant of that size and her to still be in good condition I think they are looking after her very well I cant remember her age but she is about or just over the life expectancy of a wild african elephant.

I passed by Jumbo a few weeks ago when walking to work, while she was staying in the Canterbury show grounds. She was not tied up at all, but roaming freely in a fenced area adjacent to a large truck that was clearly her trailer. She seemed to be in no distress at all, just enjoying the sun on her back. This sounds like a bit of sensationalism from SAFE to me.