Baby ellies face horror life in China

MORE than 30 wild-caught baby elephants at Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park have been orphaned from their mothers and are being kept in bomas at the park for shipment to China.

The move has angered Zimbabwean conservationists, following the export of four young elephant calves to China during a freezing winter two years ago.

Two calves died soon after arrival at a zoo where conditions were described as “appalling and unimaginable” by an international team of veterinary and animal welfare experts.

The other two calves are being kept at a commercial animal park, where the conditions also do not meet minimum standards as an approved and acceptable destination, either under Cites (Convention for the International Trade in Endangered Species) or Waza (World Association of Zoos and Aquaria) recommendations.

The latest captures by the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority so far accounts for 34 baby elephants that are destined for an facility in China owned by a member of China’s wealthy, political elite.

Many have strong ties with President Robert Mugabe and Zanu PF officials.

Zimbabwean residents say they witnessed seven wild-captured lions and several sable antelope at the bomas.

Thousands of rare and endangered animals captured from Zimbabwe’s national parks have been sent to hunting concessions owned by Zanu-PF government ministers and officials, they said.

“The latest lion census at Hwange show only 83 wild lions left, from 200 two years ago.