The highly endangered Asian elephant is one of the most majestic, intelligent animals in the world.

Act now to keep baby elephants like this one in the wild where they belong:
http://www.ifaw.org/ifaw/general/default.aspx?oid=474&aid=627&ct=true

Several Australian and New Zealand zoos plan to import nine elephants from their native Thailand in order to breed the elephants in captivity. But is placing the Asian elephant behind bars the best way to protect it?

Consider:

* In the wild Asian elephants have home ranges of between 10-800 square kilomentres. The elephant enclosure at Taronga Zoo is smaller than an average football field.

* Only 20% of zoo females breed, compared to almost 100% of female elephants who breed at least once in the wild.

* Up to 25% of Asian elephant births in Europe and North America are stillborn, compared to just 2.2% in the wild.

* Captive born elephants have a 60% lower life expectancy than wild elephants.

Deprived of their habitats and social family, the elephant born in captivity is overweight, unhealthy, infertile and stressed, typically dying at 15 instead of an average lifespan of 50.

You may be the last hope for these nine elephants. Help protect these graceful creatures by letting the Australian Minister for the Environment and Heritage know there is a better way.

Tell him the enormous sums of money being spent to imprison these elephants would be far better served conserving their habitats and returning rehabilitated captive elephants into the wild.

There's still time to keep these elephants out of zoos. Click here to send your letter now:
http://www.kintera.org/TR.asp?ID=M6450591174914477275255&iEvent=32742


For the animals,

Fred O'Regan
President and CEO

P.S. Please forward this message to your concerned friends. You are the elephants' best hope:
http://www.kintera.org/TR.asp?ID=M6450592174914477275255&iEvent=32742