Cruelty to elephants

A calf elephant was subjected to unacceptable cruel treatment at Pallikkal bazaar  in Malapurum in Kerala, India.

Mathrubhumi News on Friday aired footage of mahouts resorting to beating and stoning the elephant forcing it to tug logs.

Dwindling population of Asian elephants from hundreds of thousands centuries ago according to World Wildlife Fund for Nature, there are only an estimated 25,000 to 30,000 Asian elephants in the wild. Since 1986, the Asian elephant has been listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN). The tradition of using elephants in logging and their cruel treatment need to stop immediately, mainly due to irresponsible over-logging.

Elemotion, a non-profit foundation educating the public to improve elephants’ lives, also claim that this rocking from side-to-side behaviour in elephants is not seen in the wild and elephant experts believe it is a sign of nervousness and stress. Their projects include wild elephant orphan rehabilitation, captive elephant welfare, creation of a medical health protocol for captive elephants.

and spreading the message.

Asian Elephants once highly revered and domesticated for work and warfare.

Forest Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan said the chief wild life warden has been instructed to carry out an enquiry. If any violations are found, strict action would be taken, he added.