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ANIMAL

Zurich firemen use crane to haul old elephant to her feet

Firemen were called to Zurich Zoo on Tuesday afternoon to help a 49-year-old elephant who had been pushed over by her herdmates and couldn’t get up again.

Published: 20 April 2016 10:01 CEST
Zurich firemen use crane to haul old elephant to her feet
Druk needed a little help to get up. Photo: Robert Zingg/Zurich Zoo

Druk, the oldest of the zoo’s elephants, found herself on the ground after a tussle with other members of the herd, the zoo said in a statement.

Seeing that the elderly elephant didn’t have the energy to stand up by herself, zookeepers called on Zurich city fire service to help.

Using a crane, the recue team was able to lift the animal to her feet and lead her safely into the indoor enclosure, where she was checked over by a vet.

Photo: Robert Zingg
Photo: Robert Zingg/Zurich Zoo

The oldest animal at Zurich Zoo, Druk arrived at the zoo from Bhutan in 1968 when she was just a baby.

She bore no offsprig herself, but has played an important role as matriarch and ‘aunt’ to younger elephants, said the zoo.

Now in her twilight years, it’s not the first time the elephant has needed help to stand up.

Though the zoo hopes Druk will rally, should she should start to show signs of suffering it would consider euthanizing her, it said.

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ANIMAL

Paris authorities to shut down bird market over cruelty concerns

The Paris city council on Wednesday agreed to shut down a live bird market operating in the historic centre close to Notre Dame cathedral, responding to rights activists who called it a cruel and archaic operation.

Published: 4 February 2021 11:37 CET
Paris authorities to shut down bird market over cruelty concerns
Photo: AFP

The bird market on Louis Lepine square in the centre of the French capital has long been a fixture in Paris, operating close to the famous flower market.

But Christophe Najdovski, Paris' deputy mayor in charge of animal welfare, said that the market was a centre for bird trafficking in France while conditions for the birds were not acceptable.

“This is why we are committed to changing the regulations to ban the sale of birds and other animals,” he said.

The closure had been urged by activists from the Paris Animals Zoopolis collective who had called the practice of showing the caged birds “cruel and archaic”.

France and Paris have in the last months adopted a series of measures aiming to show they are at the forefront of efforts to protect animal welfare.

The government said in September it planned to “gradually” ban mink farms as well the use of wild animals in travelling circuses and dolphins and orcas in theme parks.

Parc Asterix, which normally has some two million visitors a year, announced last month it would close its dolphin and sea lion aquarium.

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