The Hindu : Kerala News : Jumbo problems as festivals begin

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jan 24, 2005

Kerala

Kerala

Jumbo problems as festivals begin

By K. Santhosh

THRISSUR, JAN. 23. As the season of festivals begins in Kerala, animal rights groups are concerned at the increasing cruelty to elephants.

It is surely the time of the year elephants hate. When it is sweltering, the pachyderms are made to walk long distances on tarred roads and stand unendingly on concrete surfaces. The elephants are mostly ill-fed, animal rights groups allege.

The Thrissur-based Ana Premi Sangham has alleged that large numbers of the 1,250-odd elephants in the State suffer from foot problems. "As a result of walking for long in the midday sun, most of them have pockets of infection under their feet or toenails," claims V.K. Venkitachalam, secretary of the Sangham.

Violation of law

Section 12 of Government order (G.O.-P-No 12/2003/F&WLD) dated February 26, 2003, prohibits "marching an elephant over tarred roads for long, during the hottest period of the day, for religious or any other purpose."

The order also prohibits "making the elephant stand in the scorching sun for long and wear the ceremonial gear for unreasonably long duration, and bursting crackers when the elephant is around."

"The law is never obeyed. Elephant-owners make loads of money, sending the elephants to the maximum number of festivals.

"There is a mafia behind this," alleges Mr. Venkitachalam.

According to the Kerala Captive Elephants (Management and Maintenance) Rules 2003, elephant-owners and mahouts should maintain records of disease and treatment.

"Fitness certificates and vaccination records should be available for verification whenever the elephant is taken out. The mahouts rarely maintain these," Mr. Venkitachalam alleges.

Foot infection

P.C. Alex, associate professor at the Kerala Agricultural University Veterinary Hospital, Kokkalai, says elephants are sorely uncomfortable on tar and concrete. "Blisters are terribly painful. If one foot gets infected, the elephant would continually shift all the weight to the other feet. These legs too would then feel tired and heavy," he says.

For elephants, feet are the gauge of overall health. Experts even recommend the use of custom-made boots for the animals.

"In zoos in the West, such boots are used," Mr. Venkitachalam says. Once the elephant has foot infection, ayurveda experts make the animal dunk its legs into tubs of herbal medicine. Rest is essential. Captivity-induced ailments such as arthritis too have special ayurvedic treatment.

Not given water

Animal rights activists allege that elephants are not provided water when they are taken out. An elephant drinks between 200 to 250 litres of water every day. "Sometimes, the elephants are not given water so as to prevent them from urinating during the holy ceremonies at temple festivals," alleged Mr. Venkitachalam.

A section of elephant specialists is not in favour of transporting the animals on trucks.

"This causes stress. Being isolated or kept in small groups disrupts their natural social structure, leading to abnormal behaviour," Mr. Venkitachalam says.

By many indices, elephants do not do well in captivity. They have more difficulties than other animals adapting to captive conditions.

Elephant-owners, zoos and officials need to discuss this issue.

It is time we threw away the chains and bull-hooks, animal rights activists say.

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