An elephant dubbed the ‘saddest in the world’ has come under judicial protection after Mexico’s Supreme Court ordered zoo bosses to rapidly improve her living conditions.
African elephant Ely’s heartbreaking physical and mental state has horrified animal rights campaigners and visitors at San Juan de Aragon Zoo in Mexico City.
Her backers say she has suffered from depression since the death of her enclosure mate Maggie in 2016, as well as losing weight from her poor diet, often just loaves of bread.
Heartbreaking scenes saw her banging her head against the walls of the enclosure and began eating her own poo in front of anxious zoo-goers.
But now a panel of four judges has put Ely under the protection of an extraordinary ruling recognising that individual animals have legal rights from Brazil’s highest court.
The ruling on 26th February orders the zoo to bring about “a constant improvement of her health and physical condition”.
The judgement states that Ely must be under the constant care of vets and nutrition experts.
But campaigner Diana Valencia, who launched the case to save former circus elephant Ely, fears she will never improve until she leaves the zoo.
She said: “They need a lot of space, they need nature, they need family, they need their pack.
“I can’t be satisfied because an elephant can’t live in captivity. They hurt mentally and they are one of the animals that suffer the most in captivity.”
Diana wants Ely moved from a city centre zoo to a wildlife park in the USA where she will have more room and better care.
She began her campaign when she visited the zoo and saw the sad condition the 45-year-old Ely was in.
Diana said: “It really moved me to see the state that she was in, it tore my soul and I made Ely a promise – they aren’t going to do the same to you.”
Zoo director Dr Gabriela Uribe Acosta said she will comply fully with the court order putting Ely in the care of six medics and an elephant veterinary specialist.
Her diet is now eating oats and alfalfa plus fruits and vegetables, she said.
Some see the verdict as the beginning of the end for Mexico’s bloodsports like bullfighting and cock-fighting.
Humanitarian lawyer Sergio Mendez Silva said: “Mexico is taking a significant step with a precedent of this nature and I believe this will mark a before and after.”
To find out more about the author, editor or agency that supplied this story – please click below. Story By: Clive Goodman, Sub-Editor: Marija Stojkoska, Agency: Newsflash
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