Guest guest Posted June 17, 2006 Report Share Posted June 17, 2006 ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Suparna Ganguly <suparnaganguly Jun 17, 2006 6:29 PM Re: KERALA ELEPHANT NEEDS SUPPORT To: Dear Friends, *Further to my last mail on 16th June, we received the news that the wild tusker, Kolakokkil, died in the kraal enclosure, where he was being " trained " , late last night*. It with great pain and regret we announce that India's elephant scenario is very, very grim. Apart from this particular tragedy, there are many others dying on the streets of Kerala and other cities of India from over-work, abuse and faulty management. The arrogance of the concerned officials, the lack of veterinary expertise with elephant problems compounded by ignorance of the common public and owners' narrow commercial interest on the elephant, is a deadly combination to work against. We would be happy if you have any suggestions or ideas on how this problem could be addressed, in the next few years. *There are created complexities of religion, culture and livelihood which are bandied about freely but the heart of the matter is pure commerce.* I am sure there is a way forward out of this mess and at the end of the tunnel, India still has a well defined legal system with legal protection for all animals, including elephants. *We look forward to your support in the future. Please write in to the officials concerned on the callousness of the Kerala Government in this matter.* ** sincerely, Suparna Ganguly On 6/16/06, Suparna Ganguly <suparnaganguly wrote: > > > > Jun 16, 2006 1:33 AM > KERALA ELEPHANT NEEDS SUPPORT > > DEAR FRIENDS, > > > *Action Alert:* to demand the Minister order the release into the wild > of an elephant, Kolakkoli, who has been presently housed in a " kraal " since > the 1st of June in the Peppara-Kottur forest area, Kerala, and is being > prepared for " training " to make him captive. > > Kerala's massive problem with its captive elephants and the Kerala Forest > Department's inability to take care of the sick, injured and abused captive > elephants in the State is reason enough to urge the Kerala Government to > desist from putting this animal through the *infamous " kraal " training > system. * > * > ------------------------------ > * > > An *appeal letter by fax* needs to be sent to: > > > > Shri Binoy Viswam - Hon'ble Minister for Environment and Forests, > Secretariat, Statue, Trivandrum, Kerala *Fax No: +91- 0471- > 2326677/ 2322217 *** > * > ------------------------------ > * > > > > An *email letter* needs to be sent to: Hon'ble Union Minister for > Environment & Forests – Delhi - mef > > PCCF & Chief Wildlife Warden – Kerala - *pccf@ *keralaforest.org , Project Elephant – Delhi - < gajendra* >* > > > > And send us a bcc please, at wrrcbrc > * > ------------------------------ > * > > > > *Background:* A full-grown tusker has been captured under the orders of > the Kerala Forest Minister and will undergo the " training " required to make > him into an obedient " Kumki " elephant (used for various operations to > control and chase wild elephants). > > > > We have been monitoring the development of this assumed rogue elephant > captured by the Kerala Forest Department (KFD) and the proposal to " train " > him. The reason was that tribals have been complaining about him destroying > crops, allegedly killing people and being a lone elephant who loves " koda " > the illicit liquor brew, commonly manufactured in the Kottur region, he is > an animal who would fit the profile of a " rogue " , whether established as a > fact or not. > > > > *There is, however, no data available with the Forest Department of an > official study or enquiry into the allegation of loss of crops and human > life this elephant may have caused. * > > > > In the modern world, this has no more relevance than the practice of > " khedda " (wild elephant capture operations), which has since been banned by > the Indian Govt. decades ago. > > *Several individual elephants have been severely maimed and injured > during the process of the kraal operations, which is similar to the > " phajaan " system of torture in Thailand *. The brutal training methods are > clearly in violation of Section 11 (1) clauses (a), (b), (e), (f), (h), & > (l) ; Section 3 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, India,1960. > Since there is no data and statistics to prove that this is a rogue > elephant, capturing and training of a CITES Schedule 1 species, is also > against Section 11 (1), (a) of WildLife Protection Act of India, 1972. This > section clearly stipulates that a Schedule 1 species cannot be captured > unless the animal has become dangerous to human life. > > > > With a Government Order No. 7-5/2000 (PE) dated: 8.2.2005, individual > elephant capture has been stopped after the capture, brutal training and > eventual death of an elephant in the State of Chattisgarh, in Central > India, in 2004. > > > > The videos and reports of wild elephant training - calves and adults - if > witnessed, are sure to break even the hardest of hearts! The animals are > brutalised to the point of physical and mental collapse and the violent > beatings by sticks, spears and ankush causes such damage that many do not > survive the process. The few who do survive always carry a great scar and > can be dangerous to man and mahout. > > > > --Kerala captured an elephant in Wynad in 1995 which soon afterwards died > in the process of training. > > --Karnataka's training of a calf caused its death in 2001. > --Chattisgarh captured an elephant, in 2004, that was witnessed on the > media and such was the outcry that the practice was discontinued by the > Indian Govt. > > > > Though there are problems with the human-elephant conflict, there are many > other measures which can be put into place. A strategy to discourage the > number of brews in the Podiyakkala Kani tribal settlement range that are > attracting and will continue to attract wild elephants would greatly > benefit. Also, the elephant can be released in the larger landscape of the > Periyar- Agasthyamalai, which is sufficiently distant from the conflict > area. Land-use patterns and immediate compensations procedures are some > quick-relief measures. > > > > Please appeal to their judgement and sense of fair play to release this > animal without further delay. Further holding it will cause massive, > irreparable damage to its psyche and body condition. > > > > Thank you for your assistance. We are hoping that enough faxes and email > CAN make a difference! > > > > Suparna Baksi-Ganguly > > The Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation Center (WRRC), Bangalore – India > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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