Elephant dies at Irish Circus

August 2007
Kenya, a 19-year-old African elephant has died at Circus Sydney while on tour in Northern Ireland.
She was one of two elephants filmed chained and showing disturbed behaviours in 2006 when the circus was inspected by a CAPS investigator with a vet. Her companion, Max, was sent to a zoo in Germany to avoid an inspection by the Dublin SPCA in August 2006 and Kenya was alone since then.
Following a tip-off that Kenya had died, CAPS contacted the Ulster SPCA who sent an inspector to the circus along with a government vet. They discovered that Kenya had died sometime over the previous couple of weeks. The circus claimed she died of a heart attack after being scared by dogs, but has not provided any proof.
CAPS’ concerns about Kenya’s death were reported in the media across the whole of Ireland, along with our calls for an end to the use of all animals in circuses. A large story in the Irish Sunday Mirror quoted CAPS:
“The death of this young female elephant is shocking. We demand that all veterinary reports and post-mortem details of the elephant be made public so her death can be fully assessed. Kenya’s body was sent to a rendering plant – a sad end to a sad life. Kenya was born in the wild in Zimbabwe but she lived alone, chained and transported from town to town. She should never have been subjected to the life of a travelling circus.”
For more information on CAPS’ campaigns in Ireland see www.irishcircuses.org
The Captive Animals Protection society