(IN): Save elephants from trains, says animal rights body

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Save elephants from trains, says animal rights body

 

Thu, Apr 17 06:20 PM

 

Chennai, April 17 (IANS) The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals

(PETA) India has filed a Right to Information request with the Ministry of

Railways asking what action it has taken to protect elephants from being

knocked down by speeding trains.

 

In February, PETA wrote to Railways Minister Lalu Prasad urging him to save

elephants from such accidents as the mascot of the Indian Railways is

'Bholu', an elephant.

 

On Feb 11, three elephants including a pregnant jumbo were killed after they

were hit by a speeding train near Coimbatore. The elephant herd was crossing

the rail track in the early hours of the morning.

 

The incident occurred when two male elephants were trying to push and rescue

the 25-year-old pregnant elephant, terrified and unable to move from the

railway track after she noticed the approaching train. The speeding train

was on a trial run and not a scheduled service.

 

'Elephant herds migrate long distances in search of food. This allows the

vegetation to regenerate after the herd passes through an area,' PETA

India's chief functionary Anuradha Sawhney said.

 

'The matriarch leading the herd follows traditional migration routes, which

may have been in use for centuries.'

 

'The presence of railways in protected areas around the country has caused

death of many wild elephants through accidents. Sadly, no suitable steps

have been taken to protect these elephants from criminal harm,' she added.

 

Recalling that on the eve of the 150th year of the Indian Railways, then

prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had declared 'Bholu' the elephant as the

railways mascot, PETA noted: 'Ironically the India Railways has become the

reason for deaths of many of Bholu's real life friends in the wild.'

 

'The ministry must take action to protect elephants,' PETA said in its

letter to Lalu Prasad.

 

Drawing the minister's attention to 'an important issue that will help

conserve Asian elephants', PETA's letter pointed out: 'Recently, a baby

elephant was hit by a train, dragged 900 metres and torn to pieces near the

Shikari train crossing in Rajabhatkhawa, West Bengal.'

 

'According to a report in The Telegraph, 10 elephants have died after being

hit by trains on the Alipurduar Junction-Siliguri line (in West Bengal)

since 2004.'

 

PETA in its letter said: '... under your (Lalu's) leadership, we are

confident that this will change. '

 

They requested Lalu Prasad to establish 'an empowered committee' with

representation from the Ministry of Railways, the Ministry of Surface

Transport, the Ministry of Environment and Forests, the Wildlife Institute

of India, NGOs and other representatives to develop a plan of action to

protect these elephants.

 

In the letter to the minister, PETA suggested that the committee examine

solutions like reducing train speed to 20 km/hr through the forest in areas

where elephants are known to travel; removing mounds and clearing bushes at

the turnings so that drivers will have clear views; restoring corridors

without railway tracks so that elephants can move freely in these areas.

 

The ministry could alter the schedules of trains that run in the evening and

at night through areas where elephants are known to be present; ensure that

train services that have caused accidents in the past travel carefully

through these areas; ensure that Project Elephant maintains a database on

elephant mortality due to train accidents for the entire country; and

regulate garbage disposal (near tracks which draw elephants).

 

Urging speedy action on part of the Indian Railways, PETA has said: 'Time is

of the essence if India's elephants are to be saved.'

 

According to Sandeep Tiwari of the Wildlife Trust of India, more than 110

elephants have been killed in train-hits since 1987. This year at least six

such deaths have been recorded so far.

 

--

United against elephant polo

http://www.stopelephantpolo.com