Elephant conservation news: 18th April - 24th April 2009Thai export ban is 'great day for elephants'
Elephants will no longer be exported from Thailand pending a review of their welfare, the Born Free Foundation reports.
In a move hailed by the charity as a "great day for elephants", the Thai government is said to have declared a suspension of international exports.
The move follows criticism from welfare and conservation groups. In the past, Thailand has been accused of allowing wild elephants to be captured, trained and sold-on as 'captive-bred' animals to zoos and other captive facilities abroad.
"Hopefully, this export suspension will enable the Thai authorities to undertake a full review of the legislation governing elephants in Thailand, to ensure that elephants are given the full protection and respect they truly deserve," the Born Free Foundation said.
IFAW donates fuel and tyres for Kenyan elephant conservation
The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) has donated equipment worth £17,110 to help the largest elephant population in the world.
IFAW presented 86 Land Cruiser tyres and 16,640 litres of fuel to the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) on 16 April, to support operations in the Tsavo conservation area.
The Tsavo is the largest national park in Africa and has previously suffered from large-scale elephant poaching.
KWS director Julius Kipng'etich said: "It is not a matter of how loud we shout about conservation issues but how much we do on the ground."
London to host 200 model elephants
A herd of 200 model elephants will descend on London next summer, to raise money for elephant conservation, the BBC reports.
Artists will decorate the 1.5 metre-high fibreglass models, set to be displayed in public places around the city including Buckingham Palace, Parliament Square and the South Bank.
After three months, the Elephant Family charity says it will auction the models to raise money for the protection of India's elephants.
London Mayor Boris Johnson called the programme a "brilliantly innovative way of using public art to benefit conservation".
