Challenging culling of elephants

[Guest guest]

** *Dear colleagues, *

* The attached commentary is by noted Asian

elephant expert, Kisor Chaudhuri, Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.

Kisorda knows Richard Leakey personally and his views are significant in the

Asian context.*

* And regarding Yitze's suggestion that we should discuss culling at the AfA

conference I am entirely in agreement. We were meant to have such a session

in Madras, what we had instead was a lengthy session on religious fanatics

pontificating from a pedestal. Hope the situation will be rectified in Bali.

*

* Regards,*

**

* *

**

**

*WHY SHOULD WE CULL ENDANGERED ELEPHANTS?*

* *

*I am not surprised that Mr Dhritikanta Lahiri Choudhury speaks in favour of

culling elephants. Especially since he is a former hunter. He has hunting in

his blood and he seeks any excuse to kill animals. In his interview, he

mentions the totally obsolete and redundant Act of 1879, an act that has no

relevance in elephant conservation today. The debate on culling arises only

when there is an unnatural growth in the population of elephants. But do we

have any indication of such a growth in the elephant population that merits

such a discussion in the first place? Lahiri Choudhury says there are 26,400

elephants in India. The number presented is baseless since there is an

enormous flaw in the census methodology itself. The same flaw that we have

in the tiger census project that yields erroneous data on the tiger

population. The real picture of elephant conservation is very sad in this

country. Lahiri Choudhury has suggested in the past that half the

elephantpopulation of South Bengal and Dalma(in Jharkhand) should be

killed. I have

researched elephants in these areas for a very long time. From my

experience, I can assert that the elephants are endangered in both these

areas. The Subarnarekha Dam, the steel crushing and concrete plants are

creating a hindrance for elephants to roam freely. Thus elephants from the

Dalma Hills are migrating to Bengal in search of food. If elephants are

visiting this state from other areas, we can never say that there is an

overpopulation of elephants in Medinipur, so we should just wipe them off.

The need of the hour is not to suggest culling but to bolster better

elephant habitat protection and concentrate efforts to save our remnant

forests. *

* *

* -Kisor Chaudhuri, Wildlife Management Consultant and Fellow of the Royal

Geographical Society*

* *

*Kisor Chaudhuri was interviewed by Prasun Chaudhuri of India

Today(Bengali).*

* *

*INDIA TODAY(BENGALI), 25th December, 2006, page 5*