Elephants’ death sentence lifted

TWO elephants which had faced being put down because they have tuberculosis have been given a temporary reprieve after President Hollande intervened.

Called Baby and Nepal, the two elephants at the Parc de la Tête d'Or in Lyon, were saved from being killed to allow their owner, Pinder Circus director Gilbert Edelstein, to lodge a court action.

The Rhône prefect was asked by the agriculture ministry to order a delay until Wednesday after Mr Edelstein had sent a petition with 15,000 names to the president asking for the death warrant to be lifted.

Mr Edelstein had gifted the elephants to the Lyon zoo 10 years ago and reacted after the city mairie said that they were a “public health threat” as the tuberculosis could be transferred to humans.

He said that antibiotic treatments were available and that killing them was not the only option.

Mr Edelstein also promised financial aid to help care for the animals but said he could not take them back into the circus as they could not get on with the other animals.
Photo: E.Gaujour - Parc de la Tête d'Or, Lyon