Fwd: More protest against elephant polo!

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lucia de vries <luciadevries

Nov 7, 2008 7:42 PM

More protest against elephant polo!

animalnepal , <

journalistandanimals

 

*Cruelty cry dogs elephant polo* *Nadja Shanker* Kathmandu, November 3:

 

Come December, the elephant polo championships will be held at Tiger Tops in

Chitwan. Sixteen Asian elephants will take part in the weeklong annual event

that began in Nepal in 1982. Asian elephants are an endangered species,

thanks to man-animal conflicts that have been causing huge loss of the

pachyderm's habitat.

 

According to conservation biologist Dr Rinjan Shrestha, who works with World

Wildlife Fund (WWF), the country boasts of 150 wild and 153 captive

elephants.

 

AV Jim Edwards, chairman and founder of the World Elephant Polo Association

in Nepal (WEPA), reasons that the sport helps in two ways. First, it

prevents crop destruction and second the animals have the luxury to lead a

sheltered life. " As for the tournament, either the Tiger Tops Lodge

elephants are used or they are hired from national parks across the

country, " says Edwards. " Tiger Tops elephants are used for tourist safaris

round the year save the week when the tournament is on. Hence, it is like a

much-deserved break for them, " he explains.

 

The training methods, however, are questionable. A WWF report reveals that

traditionally elephant calves are separated from their mothers for training,

which turns out to be a traumatic experience. Besides, the training device —

bamboo sticks — causes a lot of pain. The report adds that nowadays positive

learning method that's a pleasant experience for both mahout and animal is

used.

 

Edwards claims that the animals are trained in a playful manner. " They love

to play polo since they enjoy kicking footballs, " he says.

Dr Dame Daphne Sheldrick, who has studied the behavioural pattern of wild

elephants for 30 years, disagrees. She advocated ban on the sport, citing

cruelty to animals.

 

" Elephants are undoubtedly the largest and most powerful species on earth.

They cannot twist and turn at will since it puts enormous strain on their

joints. Usually, they can run for short distances at a tender age. In

adulthood, they run out of fear, " she says.

Edwards refuses to buy Dr Sheldrick's argument. " The problem at the joints

arise when an elephant gets old around 70 years. But the animals used for

the sport are all in the age group between 10 and 13. Help is also at hand

as trainers or mahouts bond with them well, " he says.

 

WEPA claims to take stringent action against cruelty to animals. " If an

elephant were stressed or didn't want to play, we never force it.

Significantly, one cannot make a five-tonne animal do something, it doesn't

want to. Some don't relish safaris but enjoy polo a lot, " reassures Edwards.

 

 

 

--

Lucia de Vries

Freelance Journalist

Bagdol, Patan, Nepal

Wijk 4-47, 8321 GE Urk, Holland