Elephants are not suited for sports: says Ambika Shukla

[Guest guest]

The writer of the article below is Smt Ambika Shukla.

Ms Shulka is a very very senior animal rights expert in India and is

respected all over for her contributions towards not only elephant

welfare but any animal in distress. She has indepth knowledge of what

is 'WRONG'.

She has been responsible for the strengthning of 'People for Animals'

activities in Assam and the Northeast India exclusively from where

all the elephants are captured wild and then for the 'Tamasha' are

brought to Jaipur, Bollywood, South Indian states, Bihar and also

smuggled out of India.

 

She is also the sister of Smt Maneka Gandhi.

 

I am very proud to have learnt much about animal care from her.

 

Thanks Ambika ji for your support as always, also I would like to

thank everyone worldwide who with their valuable opinions have not

only touched the hearts of grassroot activists as me, but also shows

that it does not take 15 long years to unite for something as simple

as a match of 'elephant polo'.

 

I am sure you all will keep you comments and views flowing, and as

Dr.John believes that we all should unite for good. We have proved

that yes we are UNITED.

 

Azam Siddiqui

---

 

 

 

The Asian Age, New Delhi

Delhi Age

Monday 9, October 2006

 

Elephants are not suited for sports

Ambika Shukla

 

October 4 was World Animal Day. It is ironic that Cartier watches

should have chosen that date to announce a forthcoming promotion

featuring Elephant Polo - an event that may raise publicity and funds

for the organizers but will cause needless cruelty to Jaipur's long

suffering elephants.

 

Col Haathi's March: The elephant's slow swinging gait, regarded as

the epitome of feminine grace (Gajagamini), is hardly suited to the

speed of sport. To prod and beat these gentle giants to run and chase

balls is not only cruel, but silly. Polo is a naturally fast game.

Elephants are naturally slow animals. To try and mix the two is

unfair on both. If it's traumatic for the animal, it is equally

torturous for polo enthusiasts to see the game robbed of any speed

and thrill.

 

They aren't Players: Polo is played in the afternoon when the sun is

at its hottest in a dry open treeless field. Elephants, however, are

shade-loving creatures. They hate the heat and have been known to

lose their cool from a prolonged stint in the sun. Unlike horses and

camels whose feet are shod, elephants have soft-soled feet like us

humans. Imagine the agony of walking or running barefoot on burning

ground. Plus, being pushed and jostled in a noisy, crowded melee.

Totally frightening for these shy and peace-loving animals.

 

Giant Bungle: The international organizers of this foolishness are

talking of bringing in Hollywood stars. Hollywood is big on animal

rights, and no celebrity in their right mind would ever publicly

endorse cruelty. Participation, if any, will only be garnered by

deliberate misrepresentation (read lies). It is shameful that one of

the promoters who passes himself off as an elephant supporter, is

seeking legitimacy for the whole exercise by claiming that some of

the funds will go to his elephant charity. You don't put children to

work to raise funds to save them from working. The same applies to

elephants too. It's obviously illogical and self-contradictory.

 

The Real Players : Elephants are just a tool, the real players in the

game are the organizers, the self-styled elephant man who's earning

himself a packet, the sponsor that's coughing up the moolah to fund

this misguided madness and the Rajasthan government presiding over

the whole tamasha.

 

This is the same government that has seen the tiger disappear from

the national parks in its jurisdiction, the same government that

denied water to Bharatpur drying up the bird sanctuary, the same

government which sees no contradiction in its minister for mining

also holding the forest portfolio. What else can be expected ?

 

Bright Lights, Small City : Recently, when a young elephant, Roopkali

was hit and killed in a road accident in Mumbai, the whole city

banded together to demand that people stop using elephants in the

city. Their " owners " operate with sham licenses. They once may have

had an elephant for whom they had a license. When that elephant died,

they simply got another one but continued to use the same license.

The Maharashtra state government has responded with a plan to micro-

chip existing elephants. Much better, though, to simply pay some

compensation and remove the elephants to the nearest national

sanctuary. Elephants have no place or space in a city. Jaipur's some

40 elephants are tethered in small gallis with no good, water or

medical aid. They ply up and down for the tourists until they die.

 

Jungle Story : Elephants belong in the jungle where they live in

close-knit family groups, love their young and mourn their dead just

like us. We have no business snatching them from their home and

family for " entertainment " . By law, elephants are protected under the

Wildlife Protection Act. By right, elephants are protected under the

law of nature. Tamashas that misuse animals are as primitive as

ancient gladiatorial sports. They have no place in a so-called

civilized national. With its rich cultural heritage, Rajasthan can do

much better than torture animals to titillate tourists.

 

END

[Guest guest]

I would agree with you. I do not, for a second, dispute the excellent work

that has been done by Help In Suffering and Ms Christine Townend to prevent

animal suffering in Rajasthan. But I cannot agree to the concept of using

elephants in what is obviously a money making game. if elephants have to

depend on playing polo for survival, then their days on this planet are

numbered. I agree with Dr John Wedderburn's assertion that this atrocity on

elephants can only be stopped if we stand united.

 

On 10/14/06, azam24x7 <azamsiddiqui wrote:

>

>

> The writer of the article below is Smt Ambika Shukla.

> Ms Shulka is a very very senior animal rights expert in India and is

> respected all over for her contributions towards not only elephant

> welfare but any animal in distress. She has indepth knowledge of what

> is 'WRONG'.

> She has been responsible for the strengthning of 'People for Animals'

> activities in Assam and the Northeast India exclusively from where

> all the elephants are captured wild and then for the 'Tamasha' are

> brought to Jaipur, Bollywood, South Indian states, Bihar and also

> smuggled out of India.

>

> She is also the sister of Smt Maneka Gandhi.

>

> I am very proud to have learnt much about animal care from her.

>

> Thanks Ambika ji for your support as always, also I would like to

> thank everyone worldwide who with their valuable opinions have not

> only touched the hearts of grassroot activists as me, but also shows

> that it does not take 15 long years to unite for something as simple

> as a match of 'elephant polo'.

>

> I am sure you all will keep you comments and views flowing, and as

> Dr.John believes that we all should unite for good. We have proved

> that yes we are UNITED.

>

> Azam Siddiqui

> ---

>

>

>

> The Asian Age, New Delhi

> Delhi Age

> Monday 9, October 2006

>

> Elephants are not suited for sports

> Ambika Shukla

>

> October 4 was World Animal Day. It is ironic that Cartier watches

> should have chosen that date to announce a forthcoming promotion

> featuring Elephant Polo - an event that may raise publicity and funds

> for the organizers but will cause needless cruelty to Jaipur's long

> suffering elephants.

>

> Col Haathi's March: The elephant's slow swinging gait, regarded as

> the epitome of feminine grace (Gajagamini), is hardly suited to the

> speed of sport. To prod and beat these gentle giants to run and chase

> balls is not only cruel, but silly. Polo is a naturally fast game.

> Elephants are naturally slow animals. To try and mix the two is

> unfair on both. If it's traumatic for the animal, it is equally

> torturous for polo enthusiasts to see the game robbed of any speed

> and thrill.

>

> They aren't Players: Polo is played in the afternoon when the sun is

> at its hottest in a dry open treeless field. Elephants, however, are

> shade-loving creatures. They hate the heat and have been known to

> lose their cool from a prolonged stint in the sun. Unlike horses and

> camels whose feet are shod, elephants have soft-soled feet like us

> humans. Imagine the agony of walking or running barefoot on burning

> ground. Plus, being pushed and jostled in a noisy, crowded melee.

> Totally frightening for these shy and peace-loving animals.

>

> Giant Bungle: The international organizers of this foolishness are

> talking of bringing in Hollywood stars. Hollywood is big on animal

> rights, and no celebrity in their right mind would ever publicly

> endorse cruelty. Participation, if any, will only be garnered by

> deliberate misrepresentation (read lies). It is shameful that one of

> the promoters who passes himself off as an elephant supporter, is

> seeking legitimacy for the whole exercise by claiming that some of

> the funds will go to his elephant charity. You don't put children to

> work to raise funds to save them from working. The same applies to

> elephants too. It's obviously illogical and self-contradictory.

>

> The Real Players : Elephants are just a tool, the real players in the

> game are the organizers, the self-styled elephant man who's earning

> himself a packet, the sponsor that's coughing up the moolah to fund

> this misguided madness and the Rajasthan government presiding over

> the whole tamasha.

>

> This is the same government that has seen the tiger disappear from

> the national parks in its jurisdiction, the same government that

> denied water to Bharatpur drying up the bird sanctuary, the same

> government which sees no contradiction in its minister for mining

> also holding the forest portfolio. What else can be expected ?

>

> Bright Lights, Small City : Recently, when a young elephant, Roopkali

> was hit and killed in a road accident in Mumbai, the whole city

> banded together to demand that people stop using elephants in the

> city. Their " owners " operate with sham licenses. They once may have

> had an elephant for whom they had a license. When that elephant died,

> they simply got another one but continued to use the same license.

> The Maharashtra state government has responded with a plan to micro-

> chip existing elephants. Much better, though, to simply pay some

> compensation and remove the elephants to the nearest national

> sanctuary. Elephants have no place or space in a city. Jaipur's some

> 40 elephants are tethered in small gallis with no good, water or

> medical aid. They ply up and down for the tourists until they die.

>

> Jungle Story : Elephants belong in the jungle where they live in

> close-knit family groups, love their young and mourn their dead just

> like us. We have no business snatching them from their home and

> family for " entertainment " . By law, elephants are protected under the

> Wildlife Protection Act. By right, elephants are protected under the

> law of nature. Tamashas that misuse animals are as primitive as

> ancient gladiatorial sports. They have no place in a so-called

> civilized national. With its rich cultural heritage, Rajasthan can do

> much better than torture animals to titillate tourists.

>

> END

>

>

>

>

For more information on Asian animal issues, please use the search feature

> on the AAPN website: http://www.aapn.org/ or search the list archives at:

> aapn

> Please feel free to send any relevant news or comments to the list at

> aapn

>