Thousands of people are trying to give Japan's oldest elephant the home she deserves
At 69 years old, Hanako is Japan’s oldest elephant. (Picture: AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Hanako the elephant is 69 years old. For 67 of those years, she’s lived alone in a concrete pen in Inokashira Park Zoo, Japan.
At 69, Hanako is nearing the end of her life. More than 300,000 people believe she deserves to be moved out of her current pen – which is around the size of half a basketball court – and into a Thai sanctuary, where she would be able to live in a natural, grassy habitat with other elephants.
According to blogger Ulara Nakagawa, the zoo in which Hanako currently lives is one of the ‘cruelest, most archaic zoos in the modern world.’
In this Jan. 27, 2016 photo, Marian Hara dances and gestures until Hanako the elephant raised her trunk and came close to the edge of its pen at Inokashira Park Zoo on the outskirts of Tokyo. An online petition drive wants the 69-year-old Hanako, or "flower child," to be moved to a Thai sanctuary, to live in a natural, grassy habitat where elephants romp in herds, not alone in her concrete pen, with a wading pool she hardly uses and a nearby side building to spend the night. Itís attracted tens of thousands of signatures already, with the aim of submitting them to the suburban Tokyo zoo and the Japanese government. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
She’s been living in a small concrete pen for 67 years. (Picture: AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Nakagawa writes: ‘Totally alone in a small, barren, cement enclosure with absolutely NO comfort or stimulation provided, she just stood there almost lifeless – like a figurine.
‘There was absolutely nothing else for her to do.’
In this Jan. 27, 2016 photo, a zoo attendant feeds Hanako the elephant at Inokashira Park Zoo on the outskirts of Tokyo. An online petition drive wants the 69-year-old Hanako, or "flower child," to be moved to a Thai sanctuary, to live in a natural, grassy habitat where elephants romp in herds, not alone in her concrete pen, with a wading pool she hardly uses and a nearby side building to spend the night. Itís attracted tens of thousands of signatures already, with the aim of submitting them to the suburban Tokyo zoo and the Japanese government. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
She lives alone and has no entertainment. (Picture: AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Ikoshira Park Zoo admits that they’re in no way equiped to look after an elephant, and won’t bring a new one in after Hanako has passed away. They argue that they know Hanako best, that she doesn’t like changes, and that it’s ‘too late’.
In this Jan. 27, 2016 photo, children look at Hanako the elephant at Inokashira Park Zoo on the outskirts of Tokyo. An online petition drive wants the 69-year-old Hanako, or "flower child," to be moved to a Thai sanctuary, to live in a natural, grassy habitat where elephants romp in herds, not alone in her concrete pen, with a wading pool she hardly uses and a nearby side building to spend the night. Itís attracted tens of thousands of signatures already, with the aim of submitting them to the suburban Tokyo zoo and the Japanese government. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Thousands of people have signed a petition to move Hanako to a sanctuary. (Picture: AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
More than 300,000 people have signed a petition to the zoo and the Japanese government, urging them to take action and let Hanako live out her final years in comfort and happiness.
‘Hanako deserves freedom and to spend time with her own kind,’ writes Helen Wakeman.
In this Jan. 27, 2016 photo, Hanako the elephant stands in her pen at Inokashira Park Zoo on the outskirts of Tokyo. An online petition drive wants the 69-year-old Hanako, or "flower child," to be moved to a Thai sanctuary, to live in a natural, grassy habitat where elephants romp in herds, not alone in her concrete pen, with a wading pool she hardly uses and a nearby side building to spend the night. Itís attracted tens of thousands of signatures already, with the aim of submitting them to the suburban Tokyo zoo and the Japanese government. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Hanako deserves her final few years to be happy. (Picture: AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
‘Please give her peace and allow her last few years of life to be happy ones.’
If you’d like to support moving Hanakon to a sanctuary for her final years, sign the petition over The Petition Site.