Fighting Kenya zoo deal
From ANIMAL PEOPLE, March 2005:
NAIROBI–A deal to export 300 animals from Kenya to the
Chiang Mai Night Safari zoo in Thailand, reportedly personally
arranged by Kenyan president Emilio Mwai Kibaki on an October 2004
state visit to Bangkok, in February 2005 appeared to have become
shaky through the determined opposition of Youth for Conservation.
Retreating from firm commitment to the animal export, acting
tourism minister Raphael Tuju in late January 2005 told the East
African Standard that talk of the deal amounted to “speculation and
rumours from busybodies,” while appearing to weigh whether the Thai
zoo or U.S. and European animal advocates would be most likely to
fund efforts to reduce crop damage from wildlife.
Youth for Conservation, which earlier persuaded Kibaki to
veto a bill that would have reauthorized hunting in Kenya, meanwhile
won backing from overseas organizations including the Humane Society
of the U.S., In Defense of Animals, Born Free Foundation, and PETA.