Cambodian zoo blames climate change for scrapped elephant swap
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A controversial Cambodian zoo has blamed climate change for the cancellation of a planned elephant swap deal with a zoo in Japan.
The Phnom Penh Post reports that Teuk Chhou Zoo in Kampot, which has been sharply criticised by animal welfare groups, was planning to send two of its elephants to Hirakawa Zoo in Kagoshima.
But the Japanese attraction cancelled the deal, stating that the Cambodian zoo was unable to produce birth records for the elephants. Birth records would prove that the animals had not been taken from the wild.
But the owner of Teuk Chhou Zoo rejected the Japanese zoo’s claims, and has instead blamed climate change for the cancellation of the deal.
“It’s not the [failure to produce records], it is the issue of climate change over there, meaning they cannot feed the elephants,” Nhim Vanda, who is also a Cambodian politician, was quoted saying by the newspaper.
Vanda owns two Cambodian zoos and both have been criticised for their poor conditions and the treatment of their animals.
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