Acclaimed musician Ely Buendia poses with his guitar for the advocacy ad of the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals Asia. The ad hopes to draw more public attention to the needs of the ailing elephant Mali: a bigger sanctuary in which to roam; rivers and ponds to bathe in, and the crucial company of other elephants.
Ely Buendia endorses the call of the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Asia to move the ailing and solitary elephant Mali from the Manila Zoo to a sanctuary in Thailand.
The acclaimed musician appears holding his guitar in PETA's ad, "Let Mali Live in Harmony."
Mali has been confined to a small, sterile enclosure at the Manila Zoo for 36 years.
She endures foot problems that leave her in constant pain.
And although a spacious sanctuary in Thailand has already agreed to accept her, she continues to languish at the Manila Zoo.
“I am urging my fans to raise their voices to help free Mali. She has been lonely for more than 36 years.
"If you can't imagine how that feels, just try to remember what you were doing in 1979.
"That's the last time Mali saw another elephant.
"A sanctuary can give her the kind of life that she needs and deserves,” says Buendia.
A growing number of animal experts have also determined that Mali has potentially fatal foot problems.
Among the experts calling for the transfer of the elephant to a sanctuary are Dr. Dame Daphne Sheldrick, Dr. Jane Goodall, Dr. Philip K. Ensley, and the world-renowned veterinarian Dr. Henry Richardson.
In addition to being in pain, Mali is denied everything that's natural and important to her.
Buendia, in his appeal, says, “I hope people will join me in calling for Mali's transfer to a sanctuary, where she can be free to act like an elephant and engage in the behavior that comes naturally to her.
"Mali deserves to live a harmonious life in the company of others of her own kind.”
Buendia, who gained fame as lead vocalist, songwriter, and guitarist for the chart-topping band Eraserheads, now plies his trade with the bands Pupil and The Oktaves.
For more information, please visit PETAAsiaPacific.com.
