French Screen Legend Brigitte Bardot Joins Call for Mali’s Release
Iconic international film star Brigitte Bardot has sent a letter to the Philippine ambassador to France urging her to convey to Philippine authorities the message that Mali, an ailing and solitary elephant who has been confined to a small enclosure at the Manila Zoo for 35 years, should be transferred immediately to a sanctuary in Thailand. In the letter, Bardot points out that elephants in zoos suffer both physically and psychologically when confined and separated from other elephants.
“Elephants are animals who are totally unfit for captivity”, writes Bardot, whose organisation, the Brigitte Bardot Foundation, works in behalf of animals and has garnered the support of millions around the world. “The life expectancy of Asian elephants is estimated at 70 years, so Mali has lived half of her life, and after all these years of exploitation and slavery, it is a matter of duty to give her back her freedom.”
In her current environment, Mali is denied everything that’s natural and important to her. But in a sanctuary, she would have acres in which to roam, rivers and ponds to bathe in and the crucial company of other elephants.
A growing number of elephant experts, including Dr. Jane Goodall and world-renowned veterinarian Dr Mel Richardson, who, in June 2012, determined that Mali suffers from potentially fatal foot problems, are calling for Mali’s transfer to a sanctuary. An online petition for her release has garnered almost 40,000 signatures. You can take action here.
Image: judacoregio/CC-BY-SA-3.0
Mail is an ailing and solitary elephant confined to a tiny enclosure. Mail is suffering each and every day, physically and mentally. This completely unnecessary slavery is inhumane. She should be with other elephants and she desparately needs medical care. It is immoral and unethical not to transfer her immediately to an animal sanctuary. NOW !
Please release Mala to a wonderful Elephant sanctuary now. She was born with birth and life rights for her liberty and freedom. Let her live her life in joy and happiness.
Please release this elephant , she needs company and care
Please release Mail, let her live out her days in peace & happiness
please release poor mala, she deserves to spend the rest of her years in comfort and peace please have a heart
Please show some compassion for this poor elephant she must not spend another day like this
Please please let Mali spend the rest of her life in a sanctuary. She deserves freedom and the right to live among other elephants. This is ethically so wrong,the pain of captivity she has endured is torture for her. She is a proud majestic creature not something to be enslaved this way..DO THE RIGHT THING
Ann Stacher
Please release Mali from this solitary confinement. It is not right that an elephant is kept like that. She deserves some freedom.
Do not tolerate suffering and mistreatment ever
There can be no reason whatsoever for such cruelty. Please release this poor old and lonely creature, and allowe her to live out her last days in the company of other elephants – it is only right. Animals have feelings too, and they know happines ………………and misery.
please let her go and live with others it must be very lonley on your own so why let her be alone?
let her have company please we all need it
do the right thing!! we owe her that much!!!!
Elephants are intelligent and are herd animals who need the company of their own kind. Please release her to enjoy the rest of her life in a happier and more suitable environment.
Help this poor animal by getting it relleased to live a normal and happy life.
Release this poor animal to a natural habitat.
This elephant should be released immediately it is the only humane thing to do. Humans should have more empathy and realise that this cruelty is immense and unnecessary.
I support and wholeheartedly support Mala to be released in to a sanctuary where she can enjoy the rest of her physical life. There is everything to be gained by DOING THE RIGHT THING NOW.
PLEASE DO THE RIGHT THING NOW. LET HER HAVE WHATS LEFT OF HER LIFE TO LIVE IN PEACE AND HOPEFULLY A BETTER LIFE.
YOU OWE HER THAT.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
each moment delaying her transfer to home is an added moment to the crime that has been committed against MALI. undo NOW what should have never been done!
Please consider the misery this poor creature endures everyday and let her go to a sanctuary where she can live out her days with happiness in her life
Please help this poor little elephant…do the right thing. Thank you
Do the right thing and transfer Mali immediately to a welcoming sanctuary in Thailand.
SHAME ON YOU!
Elephants are very socicial and family orientated animals -Mali must be very lonely and sad being on her own ,I hope they give permisson for her to be moved to a lovely sanctuary where she can spend her remaining years with her own kind.
Why confine Mali, let her go. Come on people of the Philippines let this beautiful girl go to a better life, caged and confined is torture.
[...] Islam, became the latest celeb to express sadness at Mali’s plight, joining stars such as Brigitte Bardot and Morrissey in backing the campaign. Thousands of students in Metro Manila have also drawn cards [...]