This is the heart wrenching moment an Elephant appeared to shed tears as it died in squalor at one of Indonesia’s so-called ‘death zoos’.
Laying on the floor with chains wrapped around her feet, Yani, a 34-year-old Sumatran Elephant mysteriously died at the Bandung Zoo in West Java on Wednesday afternoon (11/05). Yani had lain prone on the ground for more than a week and was found dead with bruises on its body. Zookeepers had moved the female Sumatran Elephant from the dirty, rusting cage where she spent most of her days after she fell ill last week.
But despite efforts to save the animal, Yani, appearing jaded with large sores covering her body, lost her fight for life – and these pictures show her final tearful moments.
Without a resident vet for almost a year, the Elephant didn’t stand much of a chance of surviving the illness.
An investigation has been launched but the cause of death is not yet known.
Keepers at the zoo insisted they did all they could, providing the animal with medicine and consulting vets.
But animal rights activists have slammed the zoo, dubbed online the most depressing zoo ever, with many claiming the animal enclosures are poorly maintained, filthy and cramped.
Bandung mayor Ridwan Kamil visited the sick Elephant before it died as anger mounted about the case. He said: “If they don’t have the budget to manage (the zoo), they should seek support.”
More than 10,000 people have signed a petition calling for the zoo to be cleaned up.
The rules that govern Indonesian zoos are not clear enough, Femke den Haas, of the Jakarta Animal Aid Network said.
She said: “Yani’s case is really just the tip of the iceberg because many animals are dying in Indonesian zoos.”
The WWF estimates there are between 2,400 to 2,800 Sumatran Elephants left in the wild, with poaching and loss of their rainforest habitat blamed for population decline.
They are classified as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
The zoo has now been temporarily closed as officials began an investigation into the mysterious death.
West Java Natural Resources Conservation Agency head Sylvana Ratina told reporters the Sumateran elephant died at around 6 p.m. on Wednesday.
The agency will conduct an investigation and perform an autopsy on the Elephant while the zoo is temporarily closed, she said.
“If they [the zoo management] reported the case to us earlier, we would’ve sent in our veterinarians. This is a clear case of neglect,” Sylviana said.
Bandung Zoo spokesman Sudaryo defended the zoo, saying that its own veterinarian had resigned last year and that they have not been able to find a replacement with experience in handling wild animals.
Yani, who was born and raised at the Way Kambas National Park in Lampung, was relocated to Bandung Zoo when she was 12 years old. Later, the Sumatran Elephant gave birth to a baby Elephant named Yamon in the zoo.
The conservation agency also plans to perform medical check-ups to all the animals in Bandung Zoo after they ascertain the cause of the Elephant’s death, said Sylviana.
The Bandung Zoo stands on 14 hectares of land and has more than 930 animals from 200 habitats in its collection. The zoo is operated by private firm Marga Satwa Taman Sari, which was recently criticized by Bandung mayor Ridwan Kamil for its incompetent management.
R.I.P. Yani, yet ANOTHER victim of man’s exploitation of our beautiful creatures – WHEN WILL IT ALL END?!?
Please share to raise much-needed awareness.
PROTECT ALL WILDLIFE 
Oh Dear Yani ♥♥♥ My heart breaks into peaces…. No animals should be treated badly, they shall be treated with Love…. ♥♥♥
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I can’t tell you how badly I feel about the
Preventable death of this beautiful animal. No vet for a year? OMG, so they just left her to suffer and die. I just also saw the video of the skeletal sun bears
begging with outstretched arms for food.
I can’t stop crying. How to save these abused and neglected animals? The
Owner should be arrested for abusing and neglecting all of the inhabitants of this so called zoo. Zoo should be closed and animals rescued and relocated to sanctuary asap. My heart is broken.
Make them feed those bears before they starve to death. Is anyone responding to this shameful place? Why are emergency measures not being taken? I’m just adding my sorrow to yours. Is there anything to do to help?????
God bless these innocent creatures.
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ITS THE “PEOPLE” WHO SUPPORT ALL ZOOS ACROSS THE PLANET WHO ARE TO BLAME-IT IS THEY WHOM SHOULD BE ARRESTED FOR THE ABUSE! ITS LIKE EVERY OTHER HUMAN PROBLEM-SUPPLY AND DEMAND! END IMPRISIONMENT OF ALL SPECIES IN ALL ZOOS ON THE PLANET NOW!
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Think this is one of the saddest things I have seen. How can anyone treat any animal like this. They should be prosecuted. WHY is it thought ( by some people) that animals are less important than humans and don’t have same feelings. All zoos should be closed!
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BASTARDS, SCUM MURDERING ARSEHOLES, MY GOD ARNT MOST OF THESE CRUEL BASTARDS SUPPOSED TO BE BUDDHISTS
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indonesian is moslem, mostly.
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K ils payent pr ca!pourritures!
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Stop killing those poor animals!!! This zoo and all zoos should be closed for good.😭😭😡😡😡
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Yes ma’am I been doin petitions. And animal rescue for 28 years in hearne Texas .. I never stop being there voice . My heart hurts so bad for this baby.. So sad and helpless. And nobody can seem to get this stoopped .. I pray to god everyday. I no it’s in his time . I pray and wait .. Sincerly tonya baker
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Close all zoos and protect the animals in their own habitat x
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Why have a Zoo if you can’t afford to care for the animals properly? Animals do not deserve this kind of treatment. They are helpful to man in so many ways. Now Yani will reside in Paradise where there will be no more pain, no suffering…just happiness and love. RIP sweet baby. ❤
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These lot are suppose to be Buddhists … Really ?? They don’t have a kind caring bone in their bodies towards animals . Get the filthy place called a zoo closed down .. It’s a waiting row of death for these poor beautiful creatures
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Please sign and share these petitions to shut the zoo down. thx!
1) http://www.thepetitionsite.com/220/489/868/president-widodo-shut-down-bandung-zoo-now/#updated
2)https://www.change.org/p/president-widodo-shut-down-bandung-zoo-now
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Very sad. Please sign these petitions to shut Bandung Zoo down.
1) https://www.change.org/p/president-widodo-shut-down-bandung-zoo-now
2)http://www.thepetitionsite.com/220/489/868/president-widodo-shut-down-bandung-zoo-now/#updated
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The people responsible for this should be jailed and tortured for life for the murder of so many animals! Close all zoos!
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Well if Muslim they are failing their duty of care. As I understand it, the Koran exhorts the followers to be kind to animals … of course what is kind to one is not to another and Halal is not the kindest way to kill animals.
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The low life trash who abuse and harm animals should all be executed. They are the lowest form of life to allow the slow painful death of any animal. Boycott Indonesia and don’t waste money on the country until they do the right thing. Those behind this are truly psychopathic degenerates. May they rot in hell when their time comes. I hope they all die a slow painful death in excruciating pain for allowing this to happen. This is despicable. Whilst their stuffing their faces with rice animals are being denied their RIGHTS! Animal Abusing Psychopathic dog shit!!!
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