A notorious vegan protester demonstrated at Perth Zoo after his beloved elephant, Tricia, died as one of the oldest in captivity.
The Asian elephant has been a main attraction at the zoo for the past six decades and has been described by Premier Mark McGowan as an ‘icon’ of Western Australia.
Since arriving at Perth Zoo from Vietnam in 1963, she has helped generations develop an appreciation for elephants and conservation.
Animal activist and OnlyFans star Tash Peterson visited the zoo on Saturday to object to the institution’s “kidnapping” of Tricia from Southeast Asia.
“In memory of Tricia, I’m here to bring light to the remaining victims in prison at Perth Zoo and other zoos around the world,” she shouted at visitors through a megaphone.
“I’m here to tell you her story and to let you know that animals in zoos suffer immeasurably.”
“Tricia has spent most of her life here, confined at Perth Zoo. She was kidnapped by her family in Vietnam at the age of six and taken to Perth Zoo Prison. Put yourself in her and her family’s shoes. It is unbelievable how traumatizing that experience would have been.”
Tash Peterson, an activist and OnlyFans star, visited Perth Zoo on Saturday to appeal the institution’s “kidnapping” of Tricia from Southeast Asia
Since arriving at Perth Zoo from Vietnam in 1963, she has helped generations develop an appreciation for elephants and conservation (pictured Tricia enjoying a birthday present).
Western Australian Premier Mark McGowan shared a statement paying tribute to Tricia.
“Tonight Western Australia bids farewell to an icon… Tricia was a household name to many WA families, including my own.”
“Her stature and grace were compelling,” added Mr. McGowan.
“Tricia’s health and welfare has been closely monitored by veterinarians and her dedicated elephant keepers for some time, but her health has recently deteriorated, as evidenced by her lack of sleep and mobility issues.
“I would like to acknowledge and thank all the staff at Perth Zoo for caring for Tricia humanely for so many years and making sure she was as comfortable as possible in her final moments.”
Steven Edmunds, head elephant keeper at Perth Zoo, described it as “an honor and a privilege to have known Tricia”.
“I’ve seen many people over the years burst into tears at behind-the-scenes experiences, absolutely overwhelmed by their presence,” added Mr. Edmunds.
Perth Zoo established the Tricia Tribute to Conservation Fund in her honor.
Peterson said Tricia’s housing was “barbaric and outdated” and deplored the idea of keeping elephants captive in zoos
Tricia (pictured) will be remembered for her sassy and loving demeanor that instantly captures the hearts of everyone who took the time to see her
The notorious vegan activist (pictured) is on OnlyFans to raise awareness for animal rights
However, Peterson said Tricia’s housing was “barbaric and outdated” and deplored the idea of keeping elephants captive in zoos.
“Tricia spent her first 25 years in captivity here in a tiny concrete enclosure. She was then transferred to a larger prison and spent the rest of her life in captivity. Bringing animals to zoos is cruel, barbaric and outdated,” she told guests.
“Zoos exist primarily for profit. They want you to believe they exist for conservation, but it’s estimated that less than 3 percent of a zoo’s budget goes into conservation, with the majority going into “hi-tech exhibits and marketing efforts to attract visitors.” .
“Surplus management strategies are one of the best kept secrets of modern zoos. One of the biggest attractions for zoos are baby animals. Babies are often bred even when there is not enough space to keep them, inevitably leading to an “excess” of animals in zoos. One thing zoos routinely do behind closed doors is kill animals when there is an excess of numbers.’
Perth Zoo is mourning the loss of 65-year-old Tricia (pictured), who was one of the world’s oldest elephants
Tash Peterson’s regular semi-nude and topless stunts in Perth are filmed by her boyfriend
Peterson has survived numerous run-ins with the law and has caused quite a stir on the streets of Perth with her regular animal rights stunts.
She also flaunts her body on adult site OnlyFans to spread awareness of the cause among her growing fan base of nearly 10,000 followers.
But Ms Peterson has the full support of boyfriend Jack Higgs, who not only paints her body but also films her half-naked protests.
The outspoken activist makes no apologies for the extraordinary lengths she makes to get her message across despite constant death threats, verbal abuse and countless lawsuits.
“I use my body to raise awareness for those who don’t have physical autonomy, whether topless or almost naked, and I think it works great for raising awareness about animals,” Ms. Peterson told The Project .
Tash Peterson (pictured) regularly makes headlines with her topless and semi-nude protests
She insists her boyfriend has no problem with her flaunting her body in public and on OnlyFans.
“It’s known for being a porn platform, but I’ve used it as a way to make money to do what I want to do full-time for animal rights,” she said.
“He doesn’t see it as cheating and support me for do what I want with my body.
Mr Higgs admits he understands why other men are concerned about their girlfriends baring their bodies.
“I imagine it would be difficult for some friends to see Tash semi-naked or even fully nude in lingerie in public,” he said.
“However, I found it quite empowering for our relationship.”
“It was maybe a bit weird at first. We weren’t sure, but we realized there was nothing wrong with that.”
“It’s an expression of Tash’s body and she uses it confidently, so I admire that.”
