Thousands of people are coming together to try to give Japan’s oldest elephant the home she deserves

EllenScott for Metro.co.uk Saturday 6 Feb 2016 12:56 pm

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.’

At 69 years old, Hanako is Japan’s oldest elephant. (Picture: 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.’

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’.

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.

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.

Source: METRO