World Elephant Day, August 12
Poem. End Captivity. Save Elephants.
World Elephant Day is August 12
Pachyderm families is what I see
Grouped together in more than three
Aunts and siblings guard the babies
Patiently guiding to favorite trees
When one of the herd is failing, ailing
These jumbos are not bailing
Instead, hovering near, protecting the rear
Superior intellect, they always remember
Ancestral trails and watering centers
{© 8/12/2025 Andrea O. Corwin}
Asian elephants are captured and made into work horses; but how? Stolen from their mothers as babies, then spread eagles with chains and ropes, they are taught to fear the Mahout (their trainer - but really it is there torturer). They are put into strong bamboo structures to be "crushed" which acclimates them to a saddle and rider. They are put into Asian or Middle Eastern zoos alone with no family on concrete with little water. They are used for begging and frequently the mahout blinds them to make them more compliant and reliant. They are subject to beatings, standing for extreme periods, walking on unnatural terrain for long periods and pollution from the cities and vehicles.
Have you ever contemplated the animals in war zones? The zoo animals that are starving because there is no food due to the war, and if there is, there are no workers to dispense it. They die slowly because they are captive.
Topsy was a female Asian elephant captured in 1875 and never lived a natural life with her herd. She was eventually sold to a circus but due to cruelty imposed upon her, she turned on keepers, hurt, and finally killed one. Why do people think it is okay to be cruel and then blame the animal when they turn on them? The owners decided to publicly execute her. In 1904, at Coney Island. They poisoned her with cyanide in carrots and then publicly electrocuted her with 6600 volts of electricity. She may also have been hanged for ten minutes according to some reports. Her skin was used to cover the owner's chair and two of her legs were turned into umbrella holders. A/N - I visited the
African elephants are larger and not as easy to control, yet they are stolen as babies and put into zoos. The zoos typically don't have large areas for them to roam as they do in the wild, nor do they have a family. Elephants are familial and sentient beings. They rely on the social structure to teach them proper foods and to assist in raising babies. Concrete is hard on their feet and not a natural environment.
Circus acts with animals is entertainment for humans, but not so entertaining to the poor animals, doing unnatural stunts to the oohs and ahs of humans. Roadside zoos are an abomination and a money making scheme for the owners.
I hope you will treat the wild as wild and not approach for photos. Let the wild animals go about their terribly difficult lives in peace and consideration. Take photos with a telephoto lens. Do not visit roadsize zoos or get photos with baby animals (the babies are handled so much that it is injurious to them). Support true sanctuaries (those that have "animal experiences" many times are just keeping the exotics for profit) and do your research. Support climate change initiatives and habitat preservation.
**
Dame Daphne Sheldrick figured out a milk formula for orphaned elephants and the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust near Nairobi, Kenya, conducts anti-poaching patrols, and rescues elephant and other wildlife orphans. The keepers hand-feed the babies and sleep with the baby elephants so that they can feed them every few hours during the night. Many of the elephant orphans they raise, then release when ready to live in the wild, return with their babies and introduce to their human keepers. It is a joy to the keepers and the Trust that these enormous animals remember and share their birthing joy and wild babies with those who rescued and taught them how to be a wild elephant. I have visited there a few times and was blessed with the happiness and kindness exhibited there. I have "adopted" several of them because I want to support their excellent facility and work to save the African wildlife and its efforts to stop poaching.
Copyright © 8/12/2025 by Andrea O. Corwin
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Andrea Corwin
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Poetry, fiction, horror, life experiences, and author photos. Written without A.I. © Andrea O. Corwin
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Comments (5)
To all those humans who willingly hurt elephants and all other animals, may they suffer a fate a billion times more cruel!
Elephants are such cool creatures. Love your poem <3 When I was a child, my aunt let me ride an elephant at the zoo. It was an experience I'll never forget.
Got to admit , love your poetry and this excellent article and perfect for the challenge
I'm so glad you did a conservation-centered post on this! Beautiful poem and such an important topic. It's disgusting what they do to those elephants, not just in zoos but in logging too. Those sanctuaries and foundations helping both African and Asian elephants are doing such important work. Loved this!
If humans in suffer in war zones, so do they, and doubly so. :-( On a brighter note, Andrea, thought of the Asian elephant orchestra which play at the Rose Garden in Thailand. And a lady (forgot her name) who dedicates her life to feeding them. And it's a bit brighter.