elephant poachers or OWNERS?

[Guest guest]

*3000 CAPTIVE ELEPHANTS -THE SHADY DEALS*

It is estimated that around 3000 captive elephants are now in the southern

Indian state of Kerala fetching in roughly Rs.300 crores to their captors

every year.

Having a captive elephant under your custody is worth millions here.

The latest transfer of a tusker was undertaken on a sale deed worth Rs.48lakhs.

A steady and illegal flow of elephants to this tiny state is ensured and

maintained by the concerted efforts of a powerful lobby comprising of

smugglers,agents, politicians of all hues,middlemen,forest and police

officials,greedy temple trustees,film and T.V.people etc.

 

A LITTLE BACKGROUND

 

During the early times the rich and powerful landlords of Kerala took it as

a symbol of pride to own an elephant and exhibit it with the caparison and

all the colourful and glittering paraphernalia before the public.

A tall majestic tusker with a distinct " Eduppu " [royal demeanour and gait]

is a pride and asset for the owner and such elephants were given the

stature of demi-gods.

I think Kerala is perhaps the only state with such a rich and varied

literature on elephants written both in Sanskrit and Malayalam.

The most authoritative books written onconventional elephant

medicine,treatment,and healthcre are still followed and treasured in Kerala.

Many of the temples began receiving elephants as offerings. Thus elephant

shelters came up in many temples like Guruvayur Temple.Guruvayur has now 63

elephants of its own.

Rich individuals who enjoy political patronage bring in large number of

elephants and engage them as working animals and performing animals.

During the " festival " days these dumb creatures bring in a bonanza for their

masters worth to the tune of Rs.300crores--mostly unaccounted money.

*WHY IT IS A BIG BUSINESS?*

Kerala has a large number of temples and a number of other places of worship

that closely follows the Hindu culture of exhibiting the caparisoned

elephants.

The festival season is between late November to early April.Elephants are

high in demand during this season for procession and exhibition.

Of late it has been a symbol of inflated status and grandeur to import as

much elephant as you can so that your " presige " and snob value as a temple

trustee rise over others.

The bigger the tusker you bring in for the annual festival- the greater

your rating as an influential person among the peer trustees and the public.

So usually you have to approach the owners of the so called

'majestic " elephants and ensure their presence for the festival.

When the number of bidders increse the rate for one 'Ekkam'-the ceremonial

temple or church parade- goes up.The bid may start from Rs.20,000-

upwards.The biggest bid was for Rs.2,50,000-last year.

If you have an elephant with the prescribed auspicious signs like great

height, high forehead,big long tusks,long trunk and hairy tail,big round

ears and more toe-nails you surely hit the jackpot ! Such an elephant can

easily bring in at least Rs.50-60 lakhs during these festival months alone.

You neednot treat it more cruelly than the usual way.But if you want to

extract the maximum benefit from the animal--accept all the big bids during

the season -hire a small lorry -despatch the pachyderm to all the temples at

break-neck speed-do not care whether the elephant gets time to feed, drink

or sleep.It's money ,money,money all the way.

The record earnigs one owner extracted from a single elephant during the

recent festival season was a whopping Rs.95 lakhs in 2005-06.

This is just the unaccounted profit during the 4 festival months.During the

rest of the year count for another Rs.10 lakhs or more.

You need not pay even a single rupee as tax from this earnings as all these

are unaccounted money.

*IS IT LEGAL?*

India is a signatory to many of the international Treaties on Wild life

Protection and Preservation or Animal Welfare.India is a signatory of the

CITES which specifically bans the transport and trade of animals and

trophies of endangered species of flora and fauna.

Asian Elephant is a Schedule 1 animal under the Wildlife Protection Act

1972.

Section 43 of the WPA unambiguously prohibits the transfer ,offer for sale

or sale of elephants or its tusks.

The Wildlife Stocks Declaration Rules 2003 clearly says it is illegal to

transfer or acquire any elephant except under inheritance.

One cannot buy,sell or acquire any elephant in India.

If you have an elephant the only way you could possess an ownership

certificate is only through you close blood relatives who definitely must

possess an ownership certificate legally issued by the concerned Chief Wild

Life Warden.

In my research done so far none-not even a single one --of the elephant

owners of Kerala possesses the legally valid ownership certificate issued by

the C.W.L.W.of Kerala.

But so far no cases were registered against these owners and this cruel and

illegal business of smuggling-a large number of elephants go unchecked.

MORE TO FOLLOW--