February 5, 2017

Lasah remains in Chains … for Shame

Lasah remains in Chains … for Shame

Elephants are highly social animals that love to roam. Keeping them chained up for the amusement of people is cruel. Photo Credit: Pixabay

You would think that it would be a simple matter: following a public outrage over his ill-treatment, wildlife authorities would step in and rescue Lasah, an ageing work elephant, from facing further daily abuse at a tourist site. But no, you would be wrong.

Last July the conservationist group Friends of the Orangutans (FOTO) first brought attention to Lasah’s plight at the Langkawi Elephant Adventures (LEA) amusement park on Langkawi island in Kedah, where he has languished for the past decade. More than six months on, Lasah remains in chains there … literally so. The elderly Asian elephant is used for the amusement of tourists and when he isn’t, he’s changed up all alone. That kind of solitude is a painful experience for elephants, which are highly social animals.

FOTO wants to see Lasah transferred to the Kuala Gandah Elephant Sanctuary in Sabah so he can live out the rest of his life in comfort and well-earned retirement. Despite its efforts, however, the conservationist group has not yet had success in convincing authorities to intervene on Lasah’s behalf.

“Lasah has been abused and exploited for a very long time and we will continue to ask the NRE [the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment] to cancel LEA’s license to keep this wild-born elephant and transfer him to the sanctuary where he could be rehabilitated for possible wild release or at least spend the rest of his life with other elephants under the watch of experienced and caring Perhilitan staff at Kuala Gandah,” Upreshpal Singh, FOTO’s director, stressed in a press release sent to Clean Malaysia.

According to the conservationist group, following its revelations about Lasah’s maltreatment at the amusement park, the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) looked into the matter but pronounced the elephant to be healthy and kept in accordance with wildlife laws and regulations. Meanwhile, a representative of the amusement park on Langkawi dismissed FOTO’s charges as slander and slammed the nonprofit for turning to wildlife authorities over Lasah’s treatment.

In other words, Lasah’s prospects remain as bleak as ever, despite an online signature writing campaign by FOTO to secure his release that has garnered 400,000 signatures over the months. “Lasah, a Malaysian animal, is left to rot while millions have been spent on pandas from China,” Singh noted poignantly. “This is utterly embarrassing and hundreds of thousands of animal lovers worldwide are focussing on Malaysia, waiting for the NRE to give Lasah a new life. If he dies in captivity the government won’t be forgiven.”

Elephants are highly social animals that love to roam. Keeping them chained up for the amusement of people is cruel. Lasah deserves better. In fact, we all do. The way a society treats its animals reflects that society’s core values. That’s another reason why Lasah must be freed and allowed to retire.

 

 

9 Comments so far

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  1. Linda Hagel

    Why can’t they understand what they are doing to Lasah is wrong? Please let him retire and live out his life with other elephants!

  2. Ann Burt

    Just do the right thing for this elephant. How would you like to be in chains?

  3. Perczak Ewa

    It is only when the man will have some compassion for all human beings, when he can say himself NOBLE!!! It is what said the big Buddha !! we have to change our behavior against the animals !

  4. mike leicester

    surely you people have some compassion, this poor animal has been mistreated for years and should now be released to a reputable elephant sanctuary. this type of treatment of animals must be outlawed sooner rather than later

  5. I’M DISGUSTED BY THE LYING JERKS WHO SET THEMSELVES AS EXPERTS! THIS IS STUPID AS ANYONE CAN SEE HE IS SUFFERING! YOU ARE HEARTLESS AND DESPICABLE! DO THE RIGHT THING AND FREE LASAH!

  6. susan wilson

    release this elephant at once, he has suffered abuse for all his life. what is wrong with you people you show no compassion at all. you are barbaric.

  7. Pamela Menard

    What more do you people want from this Beautiful Majestic Elephant, his life? He’s given all he’s got, but that wasn’t enough. You’ve also taken him from his family, taken his dignity and his free spirit. No matter how evil you are, the one thing you will never take is his soul., because it is blessed. Lasah is loved and appreciated people all over the world. Unfortunately, he has wound up in the hands of people , and apparently a country, that doesn’t care about him or any of the elephants. Lasah’s continued abuse, neglect and solitary confinement has to STOP !
    Someone in the government has authority to enforce the laws pertaining to the treatment and welfare of these beautiful and abused animals.
    To: The President, The Governor, The Mayor, The Head of Dept. of Wildlife and National Forest and The Head over Langkawi Elephant Adventures
    PLEASE ALLOW, OR DO SOMETHING TO ALLOW LASAH TO RETIRE TO A LOVING SANCTUARY AND REMOVE THOSE CHAINS IMMEDIATELY.
    ONLY GOD WILL JUDGE THOSE WHO ABUSED LASAH AND THOSE WHO ALLOWED IT TO CONTINUE.

  8. Karen Hall

    Once more, this poor creature is let down and abused by those who profess to care for and look after him. The eyes of the world are watching you and waiting to see just exactly what response you have to the just criticism levelled against you. Do you wish to have a reputation as a cruel, money grabbing and backward society? Instead, join the majority and enter the 21st century, show compassion for this earth and all who live on it. Be the ones who are respected for putting an end to the plight of the poor animals in your land and let Lasah the elephant retire to a sanctuary and live the remainder of the life he had given to his captors in peace.

  9. Susan Caron

    Dear Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment: Please stop allowing the neglect, the abuse, and making Lasah stay in horrifying conditions that he is put through. Cancel LEA license. Force them to send Lasah to Kuala Gandah Elephant Sanctuary right away. Please do not wait another day.

    In advance; Thank-you for caring and doing the right thing.

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