Animal hero Sir Paul McCartney has written to Philippine President Benigno Aquino III asking him to secure the freedom of Mali, the lonely and miserable elephant who has suffered for years at the Manila Zoo.
He urges the Philippine President to expedite Mali’s transfer to the lush, spacious sanctuary in Thailand that has promised her a home with other elephants.
In his letter, Sir Paul McCartney said:
“Please know that everyone who cares for elephants is awaiting the day when Mali will leave the zoo for her new retirement home at the sanctuary and—surrounded by other elephants—take her first steps in freedom. With the stroke of a pen, you can bring an end to her suffering, and I urge you, with all my heart, to direct that Mali be given that joy now. Let me end with a quote from Mahatma Gandhi that I hope you believe in, too: ‘The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.”
Sir Paul McCartney is known globally not just as a member of The Beatles and his solo career but also for being a vegetarian and supporter of the animal-rights organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PeTA).