(IN) One more;wait for the mercy killing

[Guest guest]

These tuskers earn around Rs.4,00,000,0000/- (four hundred crores)for their

illegal owners and handlers during the festival season in Kerala. The

national Wild Life Protection Act 1972 strictly prohibits the use of captive

elephants for commercial purposes. But the powerful mafia of elephant

owners, smugglers, bureaucrats and politicians hold the reins in this festival

period trade and so far no one is punished under the Act for the illegal

possession of an elephant.

 

It is estimated that there are more than 100 elephants in Kerala which earn

more than 1,00,000/-per day individually during this festival season.There

is no official statistics on the number of captive elephants here , but the

microchipped ones come around 700. unofficially it may come around 1200.To

exploit these animals to the maximum the illegal owners make them trave all

alround the length and breadth of Kerala without giving them proper

feed,water or health care.Even if the elephant dies due to starvation,

accident,neglect or illness the so called owner by that time must have

amassed a very huge amount.

 

you cannot find a sick or ailing or old elephant in Kerala-as it is a

great liability and financial loss to the owner and in most cases with the

help of a few unscrupulous Animal Husbandry officials these mammoths are

quietly disposed of and the owner gets the insurance money.

 

It is strictly forbidden by the Act to buy or sell an elephant punishable up to

7 years imprisonment and fine; but noone has been punished so far,and the trade

flourishes despite these.

 

 

 

 

 

*Kerala*

News: ePaper <http://epaper.thehindu.com/>

 

*Elephant hit by truck in bad condition *

 

Staff Reporter

 

*It was being taken to a temple festival in Chavara *

 

PHOTO: C. SURESH KUMAR

 

*MAMMOTH LIFT: The tusker Gopalakrishnan being lifted by a crane from the

accident site to be transported for medical treatment. — *

 

KOLLAM: Gopalakrishnan, a 40-year-old elephant owned by the Asramam Sree

Krishna Swamy Temple, was critically injured after being hit by a truck on

the National Highway at Shakthikulangara on Tuesday morning.

 

In the impact of the accident the animal was thrown off the road and into a

ditch. Along with two other tuskers, Gopalakrishnan was being taken to

attend the ‘chamayavilakku’ festival of the Chavara Kottankulangara Sree

Devi Temple. The animals were moving in a line with Gopalakrishnan bringing

up the rear. The truck, loaded with sand, hit the tusker from behind. Police

have taken the truck driver into custody.

Chance of survival

 

B. Aravind, who heads the team of veterinary surgeons attending to the

tusker said that the animal was in grave agony and its chances of survival

were grim. Another team of veterinary experts from Thrissur will arrive here

on Wednesday.

 

Using a crane the animal was lifted and transported in a truck from the

accident site to the Asramam Temple precincts for treatment. Dr. Aravind

said that the animal cannot bear weight on hind legs. It seems to have

suffered serious internal injuries around the hindquarters. Dislocation too

is suspected.

 

There are multiple fractures in the tail. Padded by sandbags, the tusker has

been put on “dog-sitting posture” for treatment. Putting an elephant in that

posture for long can lead to its internal organs getting crushed. But that

is the only way to treat the tusker, the doctor said.

Steroids and antibiotics

 

With assistance from veterinary surgeons K.K. Thomas and S. Raju, 40

bottles of dextrose was administered. A good amount of antibiotics and

steroids were also injected, after which the animal showed signs of relief

from pain, Dr. Aravind said. The treatment also includes topical application

and physiotherapy. He said a decision on shifting the posture will be arrived

at in consultation with the Thrissur team.

 

**

 

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