The Elephant in the Room: The Silence of Astrid Clifford

Bunka the Elephant at Yerevan Zoo in Armenia — Bunka at Yerevan Zoo in Armenia. Credit: Mark Stratton – FreeBunka.com

Astrid Clifford, the Acting Chair of the Trustees at the League Against Cruel Sports (the League), is a figure more familiar with the intricacies of global finance than the nuances of animal welfare. With over 21 years of experience at HSBC, where she held managerial roles across the UK, Jersey, UAE, Oman, India, Vietnam, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Armenia, and the United States, Clifford’s expertise lies firmly in banking, not in the protection of animals. Yet, her silence on the distressing case of Bunka, a 15-year-old Asian elephant at Yerevan Zoo¹, raises serious questions about her commitment to the animal welfare values she is now meant to champion.

A Troubled Zoo Under Clifford’s Watch

Since 2010, Clifford has served as a non-executive director of Yerevan Zoo in Armenia. On her LinkedIn profile², she claims to have “assisted new leadership to transform Yerevan Zoo, improving the welfare of the animals, enriching the experience of visitors and improving the educational value for children.” However, the ongoing suffering of Bunka—who lives in isolation and without proper care—suggests otherwise. Despite Clifford’s assertion that the zoo has been transformed, the reality faced by Bunka tells a different story.

Bunka’s Plight

The plight of Bunka has sparked significant public concern. A petition on Change.org³, calling for Bunka’s release, has amassed nearly 85,000 signatures. This campaign has also gained the backing of the animal welfare organisation Born Free⁴, which has highlighted the severe conditions Bunka endures. The elephant is confined to a barren enclosure, deprived of companionship and environmental enrichment crucial to her well-being. Despite the widespread outrage and calls for action, Clifford has remained conspicuously silent.

A Discrepancy in Values?

Clifford’s silence is particularly troubling given her dual roles at Yerevan Zoo and the League Against Cruel Sports. The League, with her support, has explicitly committed itself to the prevention of ALL forms of cruelty to animals. However, Clifford’s inaction regarding Bunka—an elephant suffering under her oversight—suggests a troubling disconnect between her public commitments and private actions. How can someone who supports the prevention of cruelty to animals ignore such clear evidence of neglect within an institution she helps to govern?

The Importance of Accountability

This silence is not merely an oversight; it points to a deeper issue of accountability. Clifford’s support for the League’s objectives, including the prevention of ALL forms of cruelty to animals, was a public endorsement of these values. Yet, her inaction in the face of Bunka’s suffering raises a crucial question: is this commitment just rhetoric?

The Need for Action

Bunka’s story is emblematic of a broader failure to protect the most vulnerable animals in our care. It is not enough to make grand statements about animal welfare; those in power must act decisively to address and rectify cruelty wherever it exists. In Clifford’s case, the contrast between her public role as a trustee of the League Against Cruel Sports and her silence on the suffering of an elephant under her jurisdiction is stark and deeply concerning.

Astrid Clifford at Yerevan Zoo in Armenia — Astrid Clifford speaking at the Yerevan Zoo in Armenia

Will Astrid Clifford Break Her Silence?

As the campaign to free Bunka grows, Clifford’s silence becomes ever more deafening.

The Bunka situation raises uncomfortable questions: Is the League’s commitment to preventing “all forms of cruelty to animals” merely words on paper? And how can Clifford reconcile her roles at both organisations while apparently ignoring the plight of an animal in her care?

Wildlife Betrayed reached out to Clifford for comment on this story. As of publication, we have received no response.

Update: Astrid Clifford Responds, But Questions Persist

In response to the above article highlighting the plight of Bunka the elephant and Astrid Clifford’s role as Acting Chair of the Trustees at the League Against Cruel Sports, Clifford has taken to Twitter to address the concerns raised.

Clifford tweeted:

“I have no role at Yerevan Zoo. You can google that. I support many animal charities, I give private donations, and I sign many petitions. Why don’t you stop printing lies about someone who is very actively supporting animal welfare and better focus your energy.”

However, this statement is contradicted by Clifford’s own LinkedIn profile, which lists her as a non-executive director of Yerevan Zoo from 2010 to the present. Her profile also claims she “Assisted new leadership to transform Yerevan Zoo, improving the welfare of the animals, enriching the experience of visitors and improving the educational value for children.”

If, as she now states on Twitter, she left Armenia in 2012 and has had no involvement with the zoo since then, it seems implausible that such a transformation could have been achieved in just two years. This discrepancy raises serious questions about the accuracy of her statements and her actual impact at Yerevan Zoo.

It is perhaps most striking that Clifford, who runs her own recruitment company, now casually admits to having maintained a misleading CV for over a decade—an extraordinary oversight for someone who claims professional expertise in hiring and governance.

In a subsequent tweet, Clifford added:

“Hello, you have never tried to contact me. I would have told you that I left Armenia in 2012 and have not been involved with Yerevan Zoo since then. I did spend EUR20,000 of my own money to build a new enclosure for the hyena. I felt she was suffering more than any other.”

To clarify, we did attempt to contact Clifford on July 26, 2024, and have the email as proof. Regrettably, this message went unanswered.

While Clifford has publicly claimed she no longer holds a role at Yerevan Zoo and has emphasised her charitable contributions, she has not addressed the specific concerns raised in our article regarding Bunka’s ongoing suffering. Despite being active on social media, she has not condemned the conditions in which Bunka is kept, nor has she acknowledged the international campaign calling for Bunka’s release.

Clifford’s suggestion that we should “better focus your energy” seems particularly misplaced, given her role in expelling long-standing campaigners from the League—individuals who have dedicated decades to the cause of animal welfare—while her own recent contributions appear limited to social media posts.

This update is provided to ensure transparency and fairness. We welcome any further clarifications from Clifford on this matter and remain committed to advocating for the well-being of Bunka and all animals in need.

Visit: www.freebunka.com
Twitter/Instagram: @FreeBunka #FreeBunka