Diary Reports

 

 

 

 
An exciting event happened recently, which came as a pleasant surprise to us, and which involved our little “Burra”, the tragic orphan who arrived on our doorstep almost strangled having been caught in a wire cable snare. Britains President of the United Nations Security Council, Sir Jeremy Greenstock, after his wife had visited the Nursery and seen Burra, presented each member of the Security Council (15 countries, including the USA, UK, France, China and Russia) a folder containing the fostering certificate, a picture of Burra with his Keeper and his profile.

This generated some excellent publicity for the elephant cause, and the plight that faces elephants generally, something that hopefully will touch the consciences of those that make decisions concerning the Ivory trade at the forthcoming Convention for the Trade in Endangered Species. Hence Burra has become an important Ambassador for his kind and we are very proud to have been mentioned as a small part of his elevated status as an International Elephant symbol!
 
RELATED PRESS:
Thursday, 1 August, 2002, 13:55 GMT 14:55 UK
UN adopts baby African elephant
An African elephant injured by poachers in a Kenyan game reserve has been adopted by the United Nations Security Council.
The Security Council became a parent today
Jeremy Greenstock

 

 

 

 

 

As a parting gift, Britain's outgoing president of the Security Council, Jeremy Greenstock, persuaded the 15-member body to adopt the elephant calf, named Burra.

Bura had been discovered earlier this year by the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Nairobi - after being seriously injured in a poacher's trap from which he had escaped.

He was found with a thick steel cable stuck around his neck, which had bitten deep into the tender flesh around his throat and practically ripped off one of ears.

Weak and abandoned by his herd, the trust said he was emaciated when he was found as he had unable to feed himself.

Parental affection

"The Security Council became a parent today," a smiling Mr Greenstock told reporters.

"It is not just peace and security in Africa, it is also wildlife for which the Security Council is, at least temporarily, showing its concern."

Mr Greenstock, who is also the British ambassador to the UN, said he hoped the elephant would symbolise the long memory of the Security Council for Africa.

"I hope the young elephant will also be a sign of the long memory of the Security Council for things that go both right and wrong in Africa."

 
 

© The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust  / Choices Wild Limited, 2001 - 2005.