Jumbo is free...

Victory! It has taken over three decades of campaigning, determination and wishful thinking, but after 32 years of being cruelly confined inside the back of a truck, Jumbo, the aging female African circus elephant is free. SAFE began its campaign to free Jumbo and other circus animals over 25 years ago and has constantly challenged touring national and international circuses with exotic animals. The release of Jumbo from the Loritz Circus spells the end of a sad era which once saw baboons, lions, tigers, monkeys, a camel and Jumbo the elephant touring under big tops throughout New Zealand. "SAFE is absolutely thrilled that Jumbo is now on her way to becoming a free elephant. SAFE has been working with the SPCA and Franklin Zoo in an effort to secure Jumbo, so is delighted that her transition from the circus to an elephant sanctuary has begun," says SAFE campaign director Hans Kriek. "Jumbo has been a sad case of animal exploitation for over 30 years and SAFE has been committed to getting her out of the circus. It has been no small effort and with the aid of the SPCA Jumbo is now on her way to a more deserving life," says Mr Kriek. SAFE has been leading the campaign to make New Zealand circus-animal free. In 1999, SAFE staged a high-profile rescue and relocation of two circus chimpanzees to an African primate sanctuary and reached an agreement with the circus to never have exotic animals again. SAFE and the SPCA mounted a massive campaign against the Great International Moscow circus in 1992 that resulted in it being the last international circus to ever visit New Zealand. SAFE says the release of Jumbo from the circus could not be a better Christmas gift. "Jumbo has been deprived the company of her own kind for almost her entire life. Finally Jumbo has an opportunity to be relocated to an elephant sanctuary so she can socialise with other elephants, and SAFE will do anything in its power to ensure she retires in the best home possible for ex-circus elephants. It's the greatest and quite possibly the largest Christmas gift imaginable," says Mr Kriek.