From Joey Ratliff

An elephant is just an elephant. Well, at least that is what many visitors to the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans think before they run into elephant handler Joey Ratliff. "We have Asiatic elephants and most people without a real deep knowledge of wildlife do not realize there are African elephants and then there are Asian elephants," Ratliff said. "Actually, I like to say there are African elephants and then there are real elephants," he joked. Ratliff's passion for the Asiatic elephant shines through when he talks about the problems facing them. "There are serious habitat issues in Asia. One that has been happening is the explosion of tea plantations. All of these different kinds of teas are very popular and they clear the forest to make plantations and when an elephant comes tromping through it is often killed," Ratliff said. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) estimates wild populations which are scattered throughout India, Nepal, Indonesia, China and a few other countries is between 25,600 to 32,750 individuals. That represents a stark decline over the last few decades and the results of habitat loss due to increased agriculture and related shootings as well as some ivory poaching. The WWF estimates there are between 470,000 and 690,000 African elephants left in the wild, which are nearly 20 times the best calculations for Asia's herd. African elephant numbers are increasing in some countries due to conservation efforts enacted by groups like WWF, Safari Club International and various African governments. Alison Randel and Joey Ratliff take "Panya" for a walk at the Aududon Zoo before visiting hours. Photo by Chester Moore, Jr. The Audubon Zoo has a daily elephant show featuring Panya and Jean, two Asiatic elephants that shows the animals doing a few fun tricks and deals with the differences between the African and Asian pachyderms and addresses their problems in the wild. "The elephant show we do draws people in and gives us a chance to talk about conservation and the unique traits of elephants. We even take one of them over to where the public can reach over our protected area and pet them. That close encounter really makes some peoples day and gives them a real appreciation for these amazing animals," Ratliff said. Elephant shows at zoos are rare these days and some believe it is better to have a hands off approach. Ratliff disagrees. "The longest lived elephants are of course wild ones, but circus elephants are the second longest lived. Worker elephants are the third and zoo elephants are last," he said. Ratliff said the reason most zoo elephants live shorter lives than their wild and hard working counterparts is activity. "We do a show with our animals every day and we take them for a morning walk around the zoo and let them roam around a couple of unused areas in the zoo under our supervision. This keeps them in good shape and the training keep their mind sharp as well," he said. It also allows the zoo team to closely monitor their health and keep them clean. "It's not a problem for us to do things like inspect their feet or their teeth or bathe them because they are trained and that allows us to avoid many problems," Ratliff said. Panya is the eldest of the zoo's two elephants weighing more than 10,000 pounds and is middle-aged at 40. Elephants can live up to 70 years in captivity. Jean is a few thousand pounds smaller and 30 years old and upon being around the animals, you learn quickly they both have unique personalities. "Panya is very smart and likes to test you a little more than Jean. Jean however can have a short attention span so they both have their unique traits and that is one of the things that make elephants so interesting to work with," Ratliff said. In the wild the elephants would eat more than 500 pounds a day but due to being able to provide them with more nutritious fare the team at the Audubon Zoo "only" have to feed Panya and Jean around 175 pounds daily. "It's a pretty massive responsibility to work with elephants but its well worth it. Just the fact of being around the animals is amazing but also the fact you get to educate the public a little about them is very rewarding and that is what we are trying to do here," Ratliff said. If you have never been to the Audubon Zoo you really need to check it out. The Asian domain where the elephants dwell has a pair of white Bengal tigers, highly endangered amur leopards and a host of other fascinating creatures. The zoo also features an amazing South American exhibit, komodo dragons, a trip through a Louisiana swamp, primates such as orangutans and gorillas and numerous other exhibits featuring animals from around the world. For more information, go to http://www.auduboninstitute.org. *This article appeared in the 10/4/07 edition of the Orange Leader. To read the author's other outdoors stories there, go to http://www.orangeleader.com.

From Kari Johnson

February 12, 2008 To: Board of Supervisors From: Pete McHugh Supervisor, District Three Subject: Referral on ordinance to promote the humane treatment of wild, exotic and rodeo animals RECOMMENDED ACTION: Refer to the Administration a report back to the Housing, Land Use, Environment and Transportation (HLUET) Committee that identifies and analyzes the operational and legal issues of a County ordinance that promotes the humane treatment of wild, exotic and rodeo animals. REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATION: Community members have approached my Office to have the County enact an ordinance that promotes the humane treatment of wild, exotic and rodeo animals. They want an ordinance that would ban any traveling show, circus or rodeo that includes wild, exotic or rodeo animals, as defined by the ordinance. Their proposed ordinance would also prohibit the use of painful or torturous devices on animals. I have attached a list of proposed key provisions of such an ordinance. The community members supporting this ordinance believe that animal handlers and trainers in circuses and rodeos frequently mistreat and neglect the animals in their care. They believe this improper treatment often results in the animals’ misery, physical injury, illness, or even death. Attachment B summarizes some of the major issues that they have with animals used in circuses and rodeos. I support in principle an ordinance that bans the use of animals for entertainment and the use of painful or torturous devices on animals. Although I might wish to ban these activities throughout the entire County, I realize these bans would apply only to the unincorporated areas. The community members also realize this fact. I believe, however, that the Board needs more information and analysis on the operational and legal implications of such an ordinance. I am making this referral so that the Board may have this information before deciding whether and how it should proceed. ATTACHMENT A KEY PROVISIONS OF COUNTY ORDINANCE TO PROMOTE HUMANE ANIMAL TREATMENT A County Ordinance that promotes the humane treatment of wild, exotic and rodeo animals would contain these major elements: A ban on any traveling show or circus that includes wild or exotic animals on any public or private land within the unincorporated area of Santa Clara County. A ban on any rodeo from taking place on any public or private land within the unincorporated area of Santa Clara County, as well as any activities that would cause an animal to fall to the ground, such as wrestling, roping and tripping. A ban on the use of painful or torturous devices on animals on any public or private land within the unincorporated area of Santa Clara County. Establishment of fines and other penalties for violations of this ordinance. Exemptions from ordinance provisions for wildlife sanctuaries, veterinarians in the course of carrying out their ordinary business, institutions accredited by the American Zoo and Aquarium Association, and other appropriate entities. ATTACHMENT B MAJOR ISSUES WITH ANIMALS USED IN CIRCUSES AND RODEOS Some of the major issues with animals used in circuses and rodeos are summarized below (Source: http://www.circuses.com): CIRCUSES Circus animals, most of whom are quite large and naturally active, spend most of their lives in the small barren cages used to transport them, where they have only enough room to stand and turn around. Most are allowed out of their cages only during the short periods when they must perform. Other animals, like elephants, are kept in leg shackles that only allow them to lift one foot at a time. The unrelieved physical confinement that circus animals endure has very harmful physical and psychological effects. These effects are often indicated by unnatural behaviors such as repeated head-bobbing, swaying, and pacing. Climatically, the circus environment is quite different from the animals’ natural habitats, and temperature extremes cause misery and sometimes death. Veterinarians qualified to treat exotic animals are not usually present or available at circuses, and many animals have suffered and died as a result of a lack of proper medical attention. Animal trainers have a standard practice of beating, shocking, and whipping circus animals to make them perform tricks that make no sense to them. Trainers drug some animals to make them “manageable” and remove the teeth and claws from others. The tricks that circus animals are forced to perform—bears balancing on balls, apes riding motorcycles, elephants standing on two legs—are physically uncomfortable and behaviorally unnatural. The whips, tight collars, muzzles, electric prods, bullhooks, and other tools used during circus acts are indicative that the animals are being forced to perform. These “performances” teach audiences nothing about how animals behave under natural circumstances. The lives of baboons, chimpanzees, and other primates used in circuses differ vastly from those of their wild relatives, who live in large, close-knit communities and travel together for miles each day. Primates are highly social, intelligent, and caring animals who suffer when deprived of companionship. Like all animals used in entertainment, primates do not perform unless they are forced to—often through intimidation, abuse, and solitary confinement. Circus animals sometimes snap under the pressure of constant abuse. Since 1990, PETA has documented 65 human deaths and more than 130 injuries attributable to captive elephant rampages. Many circus elephants are carrying a strain of tuberculosis (TB) contagious to humans. Since 1996, this highly contagious bacterial lung disease has been diagnosed in at least 18 captive elephants and numerous elephant handlers. Because there is no test that can determine if an elephant is harboring TB, the number of infected elephants is unknown. RODEOS Standard rodeo events include calf roping, steer wrestling, bareback horse and bull riding, saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, steer roping, and barrel racing. Most animals used in rodeos are not aggressive by nature, but are physically provoked into displaying “wild” behavior. Electric prods, spurs, and bucking straps are used to irritate and enrage animals used in rodeos. The flank, or “bucking,” strap or rope is tightly cinched around their abdomens, which causes the animals to buck vigorously to try to rid themselves of the torment. The flank strap, when paired with spurring, causes the animals to buck even more violently, often resulting in serious injuries. In addition, the flank strap can cause open wounds and burns when the hair is rubbed off and the skin is chafed raw. Cows and horses are often prodded with an electrical “hotshot” while in the chute to rile them, causing intense pain to the animals. Calves roped while running have their necks snapped back by the lasso, often resulting in neck injuries. Although rodeo cowboys voluntarily risk injury by participating in events, the animals they use have no such choice. Because speed is a factor in many rodeo events, the risk of accidents is high. Many animals discarded from rodeos are sold for slaughter. These animals are often so extensively bruised that the only areas in which their skin is attached to their flesh are the head, neck, legs, and belly. The animals frequently suffer broken ribs, legs, backs, and necks, as well as many other injuries.

From Silvernail

Many years ago, I worked at CWM when Buckles had his act there. I remember searching thru the sawdust while raking the ring searching for hairs from the elephant tails. I wanted to have good luck.So many years ago! Today I spent a lot of time going back into it. I spent the day with Inga Vinicky Smaha(Tonys' Mom) and my sister Susan, Tony Jr's ex wife. Even though divorced years ago, our families have stayed close. My brother Jon was the one who went to tell Inga and her beloved Yorkie, Tiffanie, about Tony. I told her the last time I visited Tony he lay in his hospital bed, his face terribly bruised and stitched, but when I brought out the camera, in true showman fashion, Tony "styled" for the camera. He WAS quite the showman. I had the privledge and pleasure of watching old home movies today of Tony, from the opening act at Circus World Museum in 1960 to race tracks across America. in all of them as well as etched in my memory, Tony could work a crowd. I NEVER heard him get a better responce than when Susan and Tony did a show at The Little International horse show in Madison WI. The little arena was bigger than most big tops, but not as large as Madison Square Garden (where they also had the privledge of performing). When Tony took Jr(one of the Lippazan stallions) out and he did A rear hind leg walk 100 feet forward and backwards, the noise was so much you thought the roof would've blown off as badly as their current stallion barns has collapsed from the weight of all the snow. As usual, the show closed with Pluto doing his famous capriole, but it was Tony and Jr who brought down the house(or barn) that day. Tony knew the crowd was eating that up and I doubt if Jr had ever been asked to walk that far on a rear but he loved the crowds also. I have so many happy memories of Tony.The first when I was brought out to his barn at age 8. Like I said, SO many years ago. We'd exchange corny jokes, talk about fishing, or just exchange horse stories. He'd look out from behind his sun glasses with a smile and a laugh that just made you shake your head. You had to wonder what he'd come up with next. Sometimes unpredictable, but always classic Tony. Even today as I ride my own horses, I can hear him say "Tits and Teeth" "Get your elbows in, you look like a monkey f****** a football". Then I check my posture and my seat elbows in , yep, shoulders back, yep, and are you smiling having fun??? YEP! Tony knew how to enjoy life and to enjoy the blessings of it. I am so glad we got to share deep spiritual things over the last few months of his life. He knew the Lord and thanked Him for the blessings he had during his life. He was so glad to have his Mom and that she had her "mighty mouse" to keep her company. He expressed to me, wanting to have a party, maybe for his birthday. A big cook out for all his friends and "family. Everyone in the circus was his family. We were his family. I was both a friend and his family. I feel confident I can personally on Tonys' behalf invite you to Tonys' "party", a day when we remember and honor his life and passing on May 21, 2008 at 7pm at CWM. Write down you have a date and I hope when I see you there you will come share some of your stories with me as I have shared a couple of mine here with you now. Maybe we never found too many hairs from elephant tails, but we all found a good friend when we found Tony. May God bless him and may he rest in peace.

Left unknown right is mom

Left unknown rigth is mom, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. Hi Buckles: I hope this email finds you well. Thank you for taking a look at these. I have followed your blog for a couple of years now since finding a post that related to a picture of the Flying Eldonas. The woman in the picture, Joanne Day is my birth mother. I was adopted at birth by Norman and Gayle Wadkins and raised as an only child. My parents worked for the Shrine Circus up to about 1966-68 or so, and only four years ago, I found my siblings. Eldon Day is the father of my three older half-siblings (Dodo, Joey and David), but mine, Johnny, and Michael's father was Joseph Pilla, and was called “Mabel” supposedly after Mabel the Elephant that kicked out his teeth – it’s kind of a sketchy story for me, but that’s what I recall Mom saying. Both Eldon and Mable are deceased and Joanne just passed away the first week of August in her sleep. It’s a long, involved and extremely splintered story which I will not bore you with. Dad (Norman) passed away when I was 5, and mom (Gayle) passed away in 2001, and at that time we were actively searching for my siblings. My mom always told me stories about that part of her life and we would break these and other pictures out of the old trunk. I am curious to see what I can find out about these, and see if any of these folks might still be around, although 1966 was quite a few years ago – I was three at the time. They are all marked 1966 on the back and I have labeled the pictures with the notes that were hand written on them. The woman marked as unknown... I remember visiting her house as a child and am thinking her name may be something similar to Janora or J'nora.... Just curious, Patti Kohrt-Munoz McAllen, Texas