Mali is the “loneliest elephant in the world”, or so says People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). And they should know, they have never owned or taken care of a single elephant and they don’t employ a single individual with legitimate elephant care bona fides. Based on the excellent animal care PETA does give (over an 85% kill rate at their only shelter), you should sign a petition to save Mali. Afterall, another person with absolutely no animal husbandry experience, Paul McCartney, says she needs to be rescued.
For decades now people accept the word of animal rights extremist organizations like PETA on animal issues without questioning, and that instinct is 100% wrong. Let’s take this petition about “Mali” as a case study.
The striking image of a “lonely” elephant holding its tail is all an unknowing public needs to prove that Mali must be miserable and in need of rescuing…except that is not a picture of Mali. Mali lives at the Manila Zoo, and from the background of the picture you can tell it was taken at the Moscow Zoo. See the large silver pillar with blue stripes? Now compare it to this video of the herd at Moscow Zoo.
Even if that photo isn’t Mali, this elephant is clearly lonely and soothing herself by holding her own tail, right? She still needs to be saved, right? Take a closer look at the photo. What do you see just under the elephant’s chin, above the trunk? Those are the legs of another elephant! Turns out this “lonely” elephant isn’t that lonely at all; she’s got companions.
First the elephant isn’t who the activists say she is, and now she’s not even alone? Can we trust anything they claim? No! That’s exactly the point. Animal rights extremists are not beholden to the truth in their campaigns. One could argue they have been on the forefront of #fakenews for decades. Let us all remember that they even paid for false testimony against the circus in a“frivolous and vexatious” lawsuit.” With the closing of Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus this year, we know that a non-stop campaign of lies works, even when no wrong-doing has ever been proved.
Next time you see something from an animal rights source, be in PETA, HSUS, ADI, IDA, Born Free, or any of the other alphabet soup acronyms of radical animal rights organizations, think twice. Their photos aren’t what they say they are, their “facts” are even worse than “alternative”, and most importantly they aren’t about what is best for the animals.
It is long past time for our culture to stop deferring to animal rights activists when it comes to animals.
P.S. The real Maali (notice the actual spelling—activists can’t even get her name right), is loved and cared for by doting keepers at Manila Zoo, who spend countless hours developing new forms of behavioral enrichment to keep her fit, mentally active, and content. Check out this video of her from just a few days ago, courtesy of Zoo Nation.
Sarah Conley, advisor to animal groups nationwide, is Chair of the Circus Fans Association’s Animal Welfare Committee, has worked in conservation and for preserving the human-animal bond for over 15 years, and writes for The Cavalry Group.
