MANILA, Philippines - Holding his guitar, which has enchanted millions over the years, next to the caption “Let Mali Live in Harmony,†acclaimed musician Ely Buendia appears in a brand-new ad for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Asia. Mali is an ailing and solitary elephant who has been confined to a small, sterile enclosure at the Manila Zoo for 36 years. She endures foot problems that leave her in constant pain. And although a spacious sanctuary in Thailand has already agreed to accept her, she continues to languish at the Manila Zoo.
In addition to being in pain, Mali is denied everything that’s natural and important to her. But in a sanctuary, she would have hectares of land in which to roam, rivers and ponds to bathe in, and the crucial company of other elephants. A growing number of animal experts, including Dr. Dame Daphne Sheldrick, Dr. Jane Goodall, Dr. Philip K. Ensley, and world-renowned veterinarian Dr. Henry Richardson, who determined that Mali has potentially fatal foot problems, are calling for her to be transferred to a sanctuary.
“I am urging my fans to raise their voices to help free Mali. She has been lonely for more than 36 years. If you can’t imagine how that feels, just try to remember what you were doing in 1979. That’s the last time Mali saw another elephant. A sanctuary can give her the kind of life that she needs and deserves,†says Buendia. “I hope people will join me in calling for Mali’s transfer to a sanctuary where she can finally be free to act like an elephant and engage in the behavior that comes naturally to her. Mali deserves to live a harmonious life in the company of others of her own kind.â€
For information, visit PETAAsiaPacific.com.