CHENNAI: The unprecedented lockdown has thrown private captive elephants into disarray. With their owners running out of business, animal activists fear these elephants would be put to hardship. There seems to be no retirement for these privately owned elephants, say experts, adding that they are overexploited, and made to travel long distances for functions, some even taken for begging.
The Forest department has been cautious in issuing new ownership certificates and renewing old ones becasue there have been instances of misuse of these certificates.“The District Captive Elephants Monitoring Committees should ensure the elephants are not abused and that nutritional food is being provided. Most of these are aged, with deep open abscess wounds needing regular medical care,” said Antony Clement Rubin, an animal rights activist. He added that these wounds would make them highly vulnerable to COVID-19, thus also risking safety of the mahouts handling them.
Antony is preparing to file a PIL in this regard with the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court. Recently, one Harish, who operates Elephant Heritage Project in Madurai, had called for a crowd-funding to feed the elephants.
Trichy District Forest Officer D Sujatha said, “Usually, these elephants are fed by people who hire them and the public en route. Owners in most cases spend little and suck maximum money using them. We file cases whenever violations are brought to our notice. Now, with lockdown in force, we can’t rule out ill-treatment.”
Meanwhile, Madurai DFO S Anand said there were some logistical issues, at the beginning of lockdown period, to access food supplies by these owners.“We intervened and solved the issue. I have also dedicated two foresters to inspect eight elephants in the district, every four days,” he added.TNIE contacted few of the owners and they claimed that the elephants were being adequately fed.
Elephant count
Government - 52
Private custody - 41
Circus - 6
Temples/religious
institutions - 39
Total - 138