Alleged abuse at Knysna Elephant Park: Greg Vogt responds
The social media exploded yesterday. 19 May, after the NSPCA released a statement about ill-treatment of elephants at Knysna Elephant Park (KEP) and Elephants of Eden (“ELEPHANTS OF EDEN – No Sanctuary for Elephants” – read it here).
The Elephant Park issued its own statement in response (read it here). This statement mentioned Greg Vogt, at one time the Park’s general manager. I was curious to know his side of the story (since everyone else seems to have made their positions clear), and received this message in response from him last night:
Dear Martin,
I refer to the Knysna Elephant Park release of today. For the record, I did not report this to the NSPCA and I did not have possession of the the photographs that have been posted by the NSPCA. Furthermore, I am not running a volunteer program from Indalu Game Reserve, as is suggested in the release.
I can tell you that I coordinated the discovery phase of a national study for the development of a Welfare Index for captive elephants on behalf of the national body responsible for elephant welfare, a national research institution and a European University.
This is now the second occasion my name has been mentioned by KEP in its press statements, both commentating on me as “a disgruntled ex-staff member.”
The KEP should perhaps focus on their issues and exclude me from their comments, because thus far they have not reported accurately on what I have done since leaving its employ.
Regards – Greg
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- For an overview of the story, read this article from eNCA News: Alleged animal abuse at Knysna Elephant Park
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Martin Hatchuel: 20 May 2014
For anyone who cares to understand the workings of the NSPCA and the exploitation of animals by the NSPCA please read, if nothing else, the latest post on this page – link below. For those that are a bit more adventures and objective there are posts together with some video footage on the training of elephants. There is even a fairytale on part of the motive behind the Tuli elephants debacle (which some have raised both here and on the NSPCA page) of a few years ago. Often in life things are not always what they seem especially with the NSPCA agenda and the advent of social media. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Why-Boycott-Brian-Boswells-Animal-Circus/337951079661680
So does this mean that Greg is admitting that he knew about the abuse as well? He doesn’t address that issue at all in his statement. I would like to know exactly what he knew about the abuse back in 2008, considering that he was the manager at that time.
This is the type of story I wish were addressed by national authorities and the proponents of ‘responsible tourism.’ How is wildlife tourism sanctioned and accredited in South Africa? I need some basic basic background and I don’t know where to look.
If elephant riding is accomplished only by torturing the animals, then such activities should be terminated asap.
Likewise if canned lion hunting takes place only after the lions are conditioned to humans via petting parks, then these activities need to be spurned by the tourism sector.
But again I ask where to go for a beginner’s guide to what is taking place in South Africa in terms of wildlife tourism?