Manila to improve zoo, acquire two more elephants

By Erika Sauler, Philippine Daily Inquirer 8:03 PM | Tuesday, July 16th, 2013
MANILA, Philippines Coming soon: A bigger, better and modern Manila Zoo
and possibly two more elephants to keep Mali, its most popular resident,
company.
This was confirmed by Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada who told the Philippine
Daily Inquirer, on Tuesday, that talks were ongoing for a public-private
partnership program with investors from Singapore who would spend P2
billion for the project.
Estrada said that they will modernize the zoo and said he also announced
that the city government had asked the Sri Lankan government for two more
elephants to serve as Malis companion.
Mali was seen filling up her trunk as she was being sprayed with water by a
caretaker. Then the 38-year-old elephant would drink the water or squirt it to
her body, much to the delight of the visitors of Manila Zoo. If the water was
trained to one of her feet, Mali would lift that foot and let you wash the
underside.
PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) has been calling for Malis
transfer to an elephant sanctuary, saying that she is sick and lonely at the
zoo. Mali was brought to the Philippines in 1977 as a gift to then First Lady
Imelda Marcos.
Albert Dichaves, the newly appointed director of the Manila Parks
Recreation Bureau, said that the direct order from Mayor Joseph Estrada
clean up and beautify the zoo to serve Manilans better. He also added
they have plans to renovate and upgrade to have better enclosures
more wild life.

and
is to
that
and

PETA has disputed the findings of Thai elephant expert Dr. Nikorn Thongtip
who said Mali was in the pink of health and reiterated its call for the
elephants transfer.
Joseph Chua, a volunteer caretaker and a veteran photographer, said a Sri
Lankan diplomat visited Manila Zoo early this year and promised to donate
two more elephants if improvements were made on the enclosure. He also
added that in America, three elephants would be the minimum requirement
for a zoo to maintain an elephant enclosure.

PETA, however, blocked the donation of two more elephants by writing to the
Sri Lankan government, Chua said.

Sauler, E. (2013, July 16). Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved from

newsinfo.inquirer.net: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/446283/manila-to-improvezoo-acquire-two-more-elephants

Mali to stay in Manila Zoo, says vet

By Erika Sauler, Philippine Daily Inquirer 8:42 PM | Thursday, July 25, 2013
MANILA, Philippines Mali is not going anywhere. She is here to stay.
As Manila Zoo marked its 54th anniversary Thursday, Mayor Joseph Estrada
reiterated his earlier pronouncements that he would not allow its most
popular resident to be transferred to an elephant sanctuary, a move that,
according to a veterinarian, made the old lady happy.
The sentiment was reflected in the streamers, placards and letters that were
displayed around the zoo as well of expressions of gratitude to Estrada for
his decision to keep Mali and plans to upgrade the zoos facilities.
I want to boost tourism in our city so I will not let Mali leave the place she
grew up in, Estrada said in a speech read by Vice Mayor Francisco Isko
Moreno Domagoso.
He added, Nothing can match the smiles and joy brought to us by animals
like a lion, tiger, giraffe, deer and Mali, the famous elephant.
Estrada said that Mali needed friends so they will give her companions so
that she will not be sad.
The animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and
celebrities like Paul McCartney and Morrissey, have urged the Philippine
government to transfer Mali to an elephant sanctuary in Thailand, saying she
was sick and lonely.
Other animal activists, however, were not in favor of the PETA proposal.

According to Ken Chua, a veterinarian with the Animal Welfare Coalition, the
life span of an elephant in captivity is 42 years and at 39, Mali is an old lady.
Chua said that, if Mali left the country, there is a big chance that she will not
reach Thailand safely. A trip to Thailand would put the old elephant under a
lot of stress as she would be placed in a crate, loaded into an aircraft,
quarantined and perhaps sedated, he added.
Your decision made an old lady very happy, Oscar Macenas of the
Philippine Veterinary Medical Association said in a message to Estrada.
During a program marking the zoos anniversary, three tiger cubs, an
elongated tortoise and red-eared slider turtles were presented as newborn
additions to the more than 700 animals in the zoo involving 104 species. A
lion cub was donated while a female zebra foal was recently born.
The new administration under Manila Parks and Recreation Bureau chief and
zoo director James Albert Dichaves hopes to surpass last years income of
P33 million, with 691,000 adult and 272,000 children visitors.
Of the P14 million allotted annually for food, P300,000 goes to medicine.
Entrance to Manila Zoo costs P40 for adults and P20 for children, while
Manila residents are charged half the price.

Sauler, E. (2013, July 25). Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved from

globalnation.inquirer.net: http://globalnation.inquirer.net/81541/mali-to-stayin-manila-zoo-says-vet/

Get elephant Mali out of Manila Zoo now - Solons

By Camille Diola (philstar.com) | Updated December 4, 2012 - 2:06pm
MANILA, Philippines - Lawmakers pushed for the immediate transfer of Mali,
a female Asian elephant, detained at the Manila Zoo for over 30 years to
Thailand where the animal can live in a sanctuary.
Cagayan de Oro City 2nd district Rep. Rufus Rodriguez asked the local
government, the Bureau of Animal Industry and the Protected Area and
Wildlife Bureau to conduct the immediate transfer through House Resolution
2885.
Mali, who has been suffering from poor conditions, had recently been making
headlines as different groups including the People for the Ethical Treatment
of Animals appealed to lawmakers and Manila Zoo administrators for the
animal's relief.
Rodriguez, supported by Abante Mindanao party-list Rep. Maximo Rodriguez,
said in a statement on Tuesday that the country does not have a sanctuary
similar to Thailand's that can provide the elephant's needs, which include
exercise for its ailing feet and the right environment.
"This preventive foot care is performed at every reputable zoo around the
world, in recognition that this care is essential to the well-being of elephants
since foot problems are the leading cause of death in captive elephants,"
Rodriguez said, citing findings of world-renowned elephant veterinarian
Henry Richardson.
The lawmaker also said that Manila Zoo does not have facilities to treat Mali
beyond topical ointments and laxatives.
Nation (Article MRec), page match: 1, section match: 1

"The sanctuary in Thailand which specializes in rehabilitating Asian elephants

has offered to care for Mali," Rodriguez said.
Congressmen Mark Villar from Las Pias City and Carlos Padilla from Nueva
Vizcaya also issued in November a probe on Mali's case, urging an
assessment of all Philippine zoos against international standards.

Diola, C. (2012, Dec 4). Philippine Star. Retrieved from: philstar.com:

http://www.philstar.com/nation/2012/12/04/880229/get-elephant-mali-outmanila-zoo-now-solons

Manila Zoo remains popular destination for lovers of nature,

wildlife
By: Lovely D. Rodriguez, Philippine News Agency | June 3, 2012 12:30 PM
MANILA -- For over five decades now since its establishment in 1959, the
Manila Zoological and Botanical Garden (MZBG), commonly called the Manila
Zoo, remains to be a popular destination for families and other people from
Metro Manila wishing to enjoy the beauty of nature and wildlife.
Manila Parks and Recreation Bureau (MPRB) Chief and Zoo Director
Deogracias Manimbo told PNA that the Manila city government is now
upgrading the caring program for the animals housed inside the zoo.
The MZBG is home to more than 800 animals from over 100 species as of
2007. The zoo's most popular "resident" is Mali, an Indian elephant who
arrived at the zoo as an orphaned calf donated from Sri Lanka. The MPRB
official emphasized that Manila Zoo is under redevelopment.
About 75 percent of the zoo is rehabilitated, reconstructed, and enclosed.
For redevelopment, of course, the other 25 percent is pushed through. We
are earning P36 million a year and all of that is used for the redevelopment
of the zoo, for improvement, rehabilitation, food, medicines, said Donald
Manalastas, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Zoological Division of Manila Zoo.
He also clarified certain news reports that some of the animals in the zoo,
including the popular elephant Mali, will be brought back into sanctuary.

Manila Zoo animals are all domesticated and have adjusted fully to their
present home and that bringing them to the wild would be greatly difficult for
them, he added.
The Manila Zoo is among the cores of school childrens field trips to Manila
and other parts of the metropolis. The administration also conducts events to
develop the Zoological Park programs.
If theres one place that completes the history of Manila, then it's sure to be
the Manila Zoo, considered as the oldest zoo in Asia which opened its doors
on July 25, 1959 on a 5.5-hectare site and serves as one of the foremost
educational institutions where the public can learn about animals.
There are 106 different species of animals in the zoo. Out of the 106 species,
there are 63 species of reptiles, 30 different kinds of mammals and 13 types
of birds, including Macaws, the trained birds that could speak too (depending
on the trainings), in addition to popular zoo occupants such as elephant,
tigers, lions and the hippos.
Manila Zoo also houses several endemic and indigenous species of animals
like the bearcat, long-tailed macaques and crocodiles. With a good mix of
education and entertainment purposes, the Manila Zoo does its best to
appeal to everyone.
Though Manila Zoo has established its name in tourism, competition now
remains high with such newly-built establishments that seek to attract
tourists' eyes -- like the Manila Ocean Park, Avilon Zoo in Rodriguez (formerly
Montalban) in Rizal province, and Malabon Zoo in Barangay Potrero, Malabon
City.
We do not compete in here. In the first place, we never advertise! But we
still have the average range of 950,000 visitors a year! Manila Zoo has been
an institution, when you say a zoo somewhere in Metro Manila, what will you
think of? Manalastas asked.
Its design may be mediocre based on Western standards, but a visit to
Manila Zoo may prove worthy if the goal is to break the monotony of
urbanism everywhere else in Metro Manila.
As the tourists enter Manila Zoo, Mali, the Indian elephant, is the first to
"welcome" them. The larger mammals and the monkeys are in the back

section of the zoo. Tourists can also see the Kinder Zoo on the left side after
entering the zoo premises. Kinder Zoo has been made especially for children,
where they can touch and pat some animals.
Manalastas says that Manila Zoo is not losing visitors, though they could not
say that it's increasing through the years. At least, they manage to maintain
the count of a million guests.
There is a large pond with a small island in its center. Makeshift boats are
provided and visitors can paddle around the small island for an extra
payment of P60 for a boat that carries approximately four passengers. There
is also the growing trend of horseback riding with the same cost per head.
Located at Quirino Ave., Adriatico St., Malate (corner of Mabini St. and
Harrison St.), Manila Zoo is open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. Entrance fee for
non-Manila City residents is P40 for adults and P20 for kids below four feet in
height.

Rodriguez, L. (2012, June 3). Philippine News Agency. Retrieved from

interaksyon.com:
http://www.interaksyon.com/article/33671/manila-zooremains-popular-destination-for-lovers-of-nature-wildlife

How You Can Help Mali, the Only Captive Elephant in The
Philippines
By Melissa Cronin | July 29, 2014

This past year has brought us two incredible rescues of long-suffering

elephants: Sunder, a long-abused elephant who was finally retired to a
reserve in India, and Raju, the weeping elephant whose story captured
international headlines. While both are doing much better in their respective
new homes, that type of victory is far off for some captive elephants.

Enter Mali, a 40-year-old elephant living in solitude at the Manila Zoo in the
Philippines. Captured from the wild as a calf in Sri Lanka, Mali has been living
in her concrete pit of an enclosure since 1977.

Even worse, Mali suffers from a debilitating foot condition, and is often seen
lifting her front left foot so as to not put weight on it. According to PETA Asia,
she spends countless hours of the day pacing her enclosure, a pattern known
as stereotypic behavior that is often exhibited in zoo animals.

Conservationist and primatologist Jane Goodall has previously called for

Malis retirement to a sanctuary, saying:
"The Manila Zoo has failed Mali. Not only is she suffering from isolation and
captivity-induced foot problems, I've also learned that she has not even had
basic blood work conducted in the three and a half decades that she's been
at the zoo."

But there is hope for Mali -- the 500-acre Boon Lott's Elephant Sanctuary
(BLES) in Thailand has already agreed to accept Mali in her retirement,
and PETA has volunteered to cover all expenses related to her transport and
preparation for the journey. Now, the only missing piece is the zoos
obligation to let Mali retire.

Cronin,
M.
(2014,
July
29).
Retrieved
from
theododo.com:
https://www.thedodo.com/how-you-can-help-mali-the-only-646378675.html