Elephant campaigners call on Liz Truss & Rishi Sunak to act on World Elephant Day

68 campaigners, conservationists, elephant experts and MPs write to Prime Ministerial candidates Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak demanding action for elephants. 

• The letter calls on the candidates to follow the recommendations of the decade-long independent study into elephant welfare and commit to a world where elephants thrive.  
• The letter comes on World Elephant Day, and comes as all three species across the world face challenges to their survival. 
• Signatories include MPs Chris Matheson and Dr Liam Fox, Jamie Christon the CEO of Chester Zoo and conservationists such as Dr Mayukh Chatterjee. 
• The letter has been coordinated by BIAZA, the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums. 
• A copy of the full letter is available below 

The great and the good of elephant conservation has come together to write to Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak to demand action for elephants. The letter comes from BIAZA, the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums, asks the potential Prime Ministers to follow the recommendations of the 10-year Elephant Welfare Group Report and to act to conserve elephants in the wild.  

BIAZA zoos and safari parks adhere to the highest standards of elephant care in the entire world, however elephants in the wild and in human care are facing countless threats. Disease, habitat loss, poaching and conflict with human communities, is causing the loss of these iconic species.  

Dr Jo Judge, CEO of BIAZA said: “We want to see elephants thrive wherever they are. While I am sure elephant conservation has not been at the top of their mind as they campaign to be Prime Minister, I know that Miss Truss and Mr Sunak will not want to lead a Government that sees us lose elephants on their watch.” 

Dr Mayukh Chatterjee, Regional Programme Manager for Mainland Asia at Chester Zoo, has spent over a decade devoted to the conservation of Asian elephants in India. He added: “While there are many good people working tirelessly to conserve elephants in the wild, the drivers of extinction are human and it’s we who must find solutions to prevent the extinction of these magnificent animals. Conservation zoos in the UK are at the very forefront of this effort, and we urge the next Prime Minister to support us on our mission to save elephants before it’s too late.”

The letter follows last year’s campaign led by zoos and safari parks to ensure the Government were committed to ending the advertisement of low-elephant welfare activities to UK tourists abroad.