Kerala - Alappuzha   

Administration sets rules for elephant care

ALAPPUZHA: The district administration has decided to implement the Kerala Captive Elephants Management and Maintenance Rules strictly and to take action against elephant owners and mahouts who fail to adhere to rules. Plans are also afoot to prevent elephants that are not registered from participating in public programmes and festivals.

Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, District Collector V.K. Balakrishnan said a set of regulations for elephant owners, mahouts and others engaging elephants for programmes had been formulated after a meeting held between officials, animal husbandry authorities and elephant owners on Tuesday. Though a few temple and Devaswom officials were invited for the meeting, none turned up.

Elephant owners have been asked to register their elephants with the authorities concerned before February 15.

Microchips would be planted in the elephants after registration. Training programmes for mahouts would also be arranged after this, he said.

Informing that the district veterinary wing would soon acquire a tranquiliser gun, the Collector said plans were also on to prevent unregistered elephants from participating in public programmes and festivals.

The regulations stipulated that festival organisers and those in charge of the elephant would have to inform the local police station apart from making arrangements for proper care of the elephant.

Allowing rest of at least 12 hours, restricting the elephant’s working time to eight hours, adherence to rules including the Wildlife Protection Act and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, ensuring healthy condition of the elephants were among the regulations.

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