Spice Girls Ask Mandela To Free Baby Elephants

For Immediate Release:
October 19, 1998

Pretoria — The Spice Girls, who met with Nelson Mandela while touring South Africa, are now urging the president to free 30 baby elephants who were recently captured, chained, and destined to be shipped to zoos around the world. Writing on behalf of the American-based People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), the four pop stars are asking Mandela to facilitate the removal of the elephants from a warehouse near Pretoria, where they have been beaten and starved in an attempt to break their spirits, thereby rendering them “zoo-friendly.” Last week, animal dealer Riccardo Ghiaza was convicted of cruelty in the case. The Spice Girls are also urging an end to further captures in Botswana.