BENGALURU: The Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) has recommended to the Centre to issue notification for banning the use of elephants for performances. This advisory comes in the wake of increasing incidents of abuse and a recent study report that found evidence of cruelty in circus, festivals and temples.
This advisory says elephants, our national heritage animals, should be included in the list of wild animals that are banned from performances.
Animal welfare experts say this would include animals that are trained, exhibited and paraded for Mysuru Dasara, Thrissur Pooram, Elephant festival in Jaipur during Holi, other temple festivals and events; animals performing tricks in circuses, joy rides in forest safaris and at tourist destinations such as Goa and Jaipur.
The recommendation is based as per Section 22 (ii) of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, that bans training, exhibition and use of wild species for performances in India. Elephants, though protected under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, were excluded from this law which was, however, applicable for other wild species.
The study report came out with substantial evidence of cruelty where elephants were violently trained, their spirits broken to make them obey human commands, forced to perform tricks that are not natural to their behaviour, and exhibited in crowded, noisy and unnatural environments. The report also drew attention to the increasing number of incidents in which elephants have reacted to human abuse and have hurt or killed many people.
Another finding was the prevalence of zoonotic disease such as tuberculosis in captive elephants which can spread to humans.
PeTA India Director of Veterinary Affairs Dr Manilal Valliyate said, “The AWBI has honoured elephants in the best way possible during Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations. It’s high time we unshackled the representations of Lord Ganesha from chains and allowed them to lead their life as nature intended. Banning their use in performances would bring us closer to that goal.”
Dasara Elephants
Altogether 13 elephants including two females participate in this festival and each one is rigidly conditioned. The lead elephant is trained specially to carry the golden howdah. All the animals undergo training so that the lead elephant can withstand the firing of canons.
G Veeresh, wildlife conservationist, says, “This advisory is welcome as the elephants are trained for months together which is painful. The animal is made to carry one fourth of its weight on its back -- the golden howdah. Even at the camps, it is a painful life for them -- made to starve for days together if they don’t listen during the rigorous training schedules. Handling the jumbos and training them to perform for harsh tasks involves lot of problems for their trainers and so the animals are subjected to acute stress and physical strain.”